


Crossing Boundaries for You

by SasuNarufan13



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Brief scenes of breastfeeding, Character Death, Cheating, Complications with the birth, Dedicated to Meehalla, Drama, Flashback, Lemon, M/M, Mpreg, Naruto's pov, Permanent disability mentioned, Slash, Slow Burn, So no shinobi, Surrogacy, Time skip of a couple of years in the epilogue, Violence, Winging court proceedings, mention of infertility, some violence, time skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2018-10-10 23:05:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 150,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10449579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SasuNarufan13/pseuds/SasuNarufan13
Summary: The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Naruto's offer is sadly a good example of that.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: So a long time ago one of my faithful reviewers asked me whether I could write a Naruto story based on one of my Drarry stories. As you can see, I agreed LOL
> 
> Some information: each chapter will be around 3K to 4K, though occasionally it could be longer depending on the scenes in it. I'll be updating every two weeks - this gives me the time to work on the story without having to rush through it. This story also deals with surrogacy and will contain MPreg. It starts out as Sasu/Saku, but will evolve into Sasu/Naru. Also it will contain a lot of angst- what else is new in my stories, huh? :P
> 
> Warnings: AU; Naruto's pov; mention of infertility; some angst
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> Dedicated to: Meehalla
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 1_

"Thanks for helping me mark these, Naruto," Iruka sighed and placed the marked mathematics test on the pile in front of him. "I know you've been busy with the projects of your students as well."

The twenty-four year old blond man shrugged and rubbed the bridge of his nose, before he scribbled down the mark of the test he was grading. "I don't mind; I finished grading their projects yesterday, so I'm glad to help you out."

"How are your students doing?" the older man asked absentmindedly and flipped to the next page to mark the exercises there.

"Reasonably well," Naruto replied and picked up the next test from the steadily smaller growing pile. "Some clearly just made their projects the evening before handing it in, but the majority is doing well."

"I know someone else who liked to play with deadlines," Iruka murmured teasingly, jotting down the marks of one of his students.

Naruto flushed and pouted. "I graduated with everyone else, didn't I?" he defended himself. Maybe it was with some help of one of his best friends, sure, but he did manage to finish school with the rest of his year.

"That's true." Iruka looked up and gave him a fond smile. "You even got your teacher's degree without repeating your year once. I'm very proud of you."

The flush on his tanned face grew worse and he ducked his face in embarrassment. He would never get used to hearing compliments.

Thankfully for his cheeks, Iruka took pity on him and changed the topic. "How is Sasuke-san doing?"

"The bastard is working his way up to CEO," Naruto smiled and a hint of pride rang through his voice when he continued, "The Board is impressed by his work."

"That's good to hear; Sasuke-san was always a hard worker," Iruka murmured and stretched his arm before picking up another test. "And Sakura-san?"

"She's working with the head nurse now," Naruto informed him and smiled fondly when he thought of his pink haired friend. "She says she wants to work in the ER eventually."

"Looks like you're all fairly busy now," Iruka hummed and tsk'd in annoyance at whatever answer he was reading on the test.

Naruto winced when he caught sight of the giant red line that was crossed through a large section of the paper. God, he was glad that he wasn't suffering through mathematics class anymore.

The sudden 'BEEP, BEEP' sound indicating he had received a message disturbed the silence and he hastily grabbed it off the table. "Sorry," he mumbled and opened the text message. The sender was labelled 'Bastard'.

' _Do you have time to meet up?'_

A frown marred his forehead and he glanced at the clock, hanging in front of him on the cream coloured wall. Five forty-five. That meant that …

Unwillingly a sigh left his mouth and he bit his lip.

"What's wrong?" Iruka asked concerned.

"Ah, Sasuke asks to meet up," Naruto murmured and his thumb hovered over the reply button.

"You can go if you want." Iruka waved his hand dismissively.

"Are you sure? I can …"

"Naruto, go," Iruka chuckled. "I can handle grading the last five tests. You helped out a lot."

"Okay, then. See you soon, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said and grabbed his jacket – an orange one gifted by his friend Gaara – to pull it on hastily.

The cold October air hit him right in his face when he stepped outside and he shivered, closing the front door behind him. He should have taken his scarf with him this morning, but he had almost overslept and in his haste to catch the bus on time, he had neglected to grab his scarf and gloves. Damn it.

Well, nothing he could do about it. His sigh leaving him in a white cloud, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, went back to Sasuke's message and replied, ' _Sure, I'm on my way. Meeting at my place?'_

If they met up at his place, then he would only have to catch one bus, which was preferable to the two or three busses he would need to take to reach Sasuke's place. Maybe he should start saving for a car, he mused and walked briskly to the nearest bus stop. Then again, how long would it take to save enough for a car? His money was currently being divided between rent, bills and groceries and he couldn't supress a grimace when he calculated how much was left of his money each month. Yeah, with the little amount he would have left, he wouldn't be able to afford a car for at least ten years.

Public transport it was then.

Luckily for him he didn't need to wait long for a bus to arrive and he hastily stepped inside, bought a ticket and sat down on a single seat next to a window, which had been partly clad by graffiti. The buzzing of his phone was barely audible thanks to the loud giggling of a group of school girls a few seats behind him.

' _I'm on my way.'_

Naruto swallowed and slipped his phone back into his pocket; blue eyes stared listlessly out of the window. The sky was slowly darkening and street lights were being lit up. When he closed his eyes, he could still see the array of bright red, yellow and green flashing up behind his eyelids.

Fingers playing restlessly with a loose thread of his worn out jeans, he wondered what kind of news his dark haired friend would bring him tonight. He and Sakura had had a doctor's appointment his afternoon and the result of that one could be the only reason why Sasuke wanted to talk to him. Whether it was good news or not remained to be seen.

Stomach cramping up slightly and hands firmly stuffed into his pockets, he got off the bus when he arrived at the stop closest to his apartment building and marched through the streets. Some dogs barked at him when he passed by their houses and a wary, skinny cat eyed him with glowing eyes when he passed underneath the tree branch it was perched on.

Above him, stars were filling the dark sky, twinkling gently, and the only sound filling the silence were his footsteps on the sidewalk, mixed with the occasional 'crunch' sound when he stepped onto a dead leaf.

The sight of a dark blue Mercedes parked in front of his slightly downtrodden apartment building made him speed up.

"Sorry, have you been waiting for a long time?" Naruto asked, slightly out of breath.

The dark haired man sitting on the steps leading to the front door looked up. "Not really. I could have picked you up," Sasuke remarked and his dark eyes were unreadable.

The blond shrugged and beckoned his friend to follow him. "I didn't have to go that far," he mumbled and managed to open the door with only one harsh push.

The elevator had been out of order for a couple of days already – something to do with the cold weather affecting it aversely, whatever that meant – and so both men had to take the staircase to the third floor where Naruto's apartment was located.

Naruto turned on the lights as soon as he entered his apartment. Removing his jacket, he glanced at the dark haired man from the corner of his eye. "You want something to drink?" he asked lightly and kicked off his shoes.

The atmosphere around Sasuke was odd and his instincts were screaming at him to tread carefully. After all those years spent together, he excelled at reading Sasuke – a must when dealing with Uchiha, who seemed to be fond of blank faces – but this time he couldn't figure out what his friend was thinking and it put him on edge. An unreadable Sasuke was a dangerous one.

"You got tea?" Sasuke asked abruptly and removed his own coat with harsh motions.

"Yeah, I think I have some left. I'll make some," Naruto murmured and disappeared into the small kitchen. The kitchen and the living room were only separated by a low wall, so the blond still had a good view of Sasuke, who plopped down into the faded blue couch Naruto had managed to buy in a second hand store months ago. After filling the kettle with water and switching it on for the water to heat up, Naruto busied himself with collecting two cups and filling them with a couple of sugar cubes; all the while stealthily keeping an eye on his friend, who was listlessly browsing through one of his magazines containing the latest chapters of popular manga.

The silence was quite oppressive in his apartment and he shifted his foot nervously. Normally he didn't have any problems talking Sasuke's ear off, but tonight it seemed like a good idea to keep silent in order not to aggravate Sasuke even more.

Placing two fingers on the kettle to judge the temperature, he decided that it was hot enough for tea and switched it off. Carefully he poured the hot, steaming water in the cups and watched how the clear water turned a soft orange colour, due to the orange flavoured teabags he had put in it.

"Here," he announced and placed Sasuke's cup – a dark blue one with three white stars painted on it – in front of him on the low coffee table he had picked up from a random garage sale.

"Thanks," Sasuke grunted and absentmindedly stirred his tea.

Keeping a wary eye on the dark haired man, Naruto sat down next to him on the couch, blowing over his own cup – an orange one with a smiley face.

"Sooo … What happened?" he asked nervously after another moment had passed in tense silence.

The sudden, loud sigh escaping Sasuke made him nearly jump in fright.

"You remember that Sakura and I had a doctor's appointment today?" Sasuke asked and stared broodily into his cup.

"Y …" Naruto cleared his throat and tried again. "Yeah, I remember."

How could he not remember? Both Sasuke and Sakura had talked to him about it for weeks – it was not something he would forget easily.

"Well, we finally found out why she isn't pregnant yet," Sasuke continued and a trace of bitterness appeared in his voice.

Naruto glanced at him and his hand unconsciously tightened around his cup. He ignored the heat of his cup and asked, "What did the doctor discover?"

"She can't carry children," Sasuke spat and his eyes narrowed. "The doctor doesn't really know why; she suspects Sakura could be suffering from endometriosis or it could be a completely unknown cause. Whatever it is, the chances of her getting pregnant and actually carrying a baby to term are practically zero." He slammed down his cup on the coffee table with such power that Naruto was surprised the cup didn't break. "Even if she does get pregnant, she'll most likely miscarry it in the first month."

Naruto breathed out slowly, ignoring how harshly his heart thumped in his chest. "I'm sorry, Sasuke," he murmured and slowly reached over to place his own cup on the table. He wasn't in the mood to drink his tea.

Sasuke snorted harshly and clenched his fists on his lap. "You're actually the first one to know. We haven't told my parents yet – can you imagine how my father will react?" A humourless laugh escaped him. "One of the reasons we got married was to have a child. And now there won't ever be one! Not a biological one anyway. He's going to flip."

"Maybe – maybe you can adopt?" Naruto suggested uncertainly and bit his lip. He had no idea how to react. What did one say to their best friend who had just found out his wife couldn't get pregnant? His two best friends had been trying for nearly two years to have a baby; despite Fugaku's insistence on gaining a grandchild soon, Naruto knew that Sasuke had been looking forward to becoming a father, even if he was still fairly young. In fact, when Sakura had stopped taking the pill, it had been one of the few times Naruto had actually seen Sasuke acting so excited, because the idea of becoming a father had made him happy.

When you didn't know Sasuke, you would never guess that he was quite fond of children; Naruto was one of the very few who knew Sasuke had a children's wish almost as big as Sakura. And now he had heard that that wish might never become reality.

Naruto couldn't imagine how Sasuke must be feeling right now and he wished he could do something to elevate his sadness.

"Father would never see an adopted child as his real grandchild," Sasuke replied bitterly.

Naruto winced and looked away. Yes, he had no trouble imagining that Fugaku would never consider an adopted child as his real grandchild; that man was quite obsessed with the idea of a perfect family. A family that consisted out of a father, a mother and a child of the couple. An adopted child wouldn't share any traits with either Sasuke or Sakura and while Mikoto would love that child as her own biological grandchild, Fugaku would never accept it.

More than once Naruto had wondered how it was possible that Sasuke had come forth from that man's seed. Sasuke could be quite rude, cold and standoffish towards others, but once you got past his walls you saw that he was willing to do anything for the people he loved. While Fugaku … Mikoto had to be some kind of saint to be able to put up with that man.

"Maybe your older brother can …"

"Itachi got kicked out of the family when he turned out to be gay," Sasuke interrupted him flatly. "Even if he wasn't kicked out, it isn't like he can father any children with his lover."

"Unless, you know, he's with a guy like _that_ ," Naruto muttered and pulled petulantly at a loose thread of the arm of the couch.

"Unless he's with a guy like that, yes," Sasuke agreed after an uncomfortable pause. "But considering only a minority of the men is like that, I highly doubt his partner is like that."

Naruto shrugged. He had first met Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, when he was eight years old. Itachi had terrified him in the beginning to be honest, with his cold eyes and standoffish air, but after seeing how both brothers interacted with each other – how obviously fond Itachi was of his younger brother – Naruto had warmed up a bit to the older boy. When Sasuke and Naruto were fifteen, Itachi had disappeared after a huge row with his father. Turned out that Fugaku wasn't pleased with having a gay son.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked softly.

Sasuke sighed forlornly. "I honestly don't know," he mumbled and leant back with his head against the couch. "Father wants a grandchild; Sakura and I want to have a baby together, but it's just not possible. We'll have to figure something out, but at the moment I have no fucking clue what to do."

"How did Sakura-chan react?" Naruto inquired hesitatingly.

"She raged for a bit before she broke down," Sasuke grimaced and opened his eyes again. "I stayed with her until she fell asleep back at our place."

Naruto kept quiet; he knew the pink haired woman would be devastated now. All she had talked about ever since she and Sasuke had got engaged, was how she couldn't wait to have his children. Since they were still little kids, she had exclaimed that she wanted to have at least two children. To hear at only twenty-four years old that her dream would never come true … No wonder she had broken down.

A feeling of helplessness washed over him. He dearly wanted to help his two best friends, but he had no idea how. All he could do was offer his support and be there for them, but what good would that do? It wouldn't give them a child.

"Do you want to spend the night here?" he asked after a long period of silence had passed between them. His fingers twitched when he recalled he hadn't brought the spare futon back into his apartment. Given the temperature outside, the spare futon wouldn't be a comfortable place to sleep on. If Sasuke accepted his offer, they would need to share his futon. It wasn't like they hadn't shared a bed before, but …

Sasuke hesitated visibly before he shook his head and heaved a deep sigh. "No, thanks. I think it's best if I go home now. She shouldn't be alone right now."

Naruto nodded; his eyes firmly fixated on his jeans clad thighs.

"Thanks for listening," Sasuke murmured awkwardly and after a brief nod, he was gone; leaving cold tea behind.

Almost mechanically Naruto took the cups to the sink and cleaned them. Forgoing dinner – he wasn't hungry at all – he took a quick shower, changed into his pyjamas and nestled himself back on the couch; zapping through the channels mindlessly.

He felt horrible. Not horrible because his friends were suffering due to this unexpected news, but horrible, because for one brief moment, he had felt happy. Happy that Sakura wouldn't be able to give Sasuke what he wanted. He was disgusting and didn't deserve to call himself their friend, but he couldn't help it. For months he had feared the moment that Sasuke would tell him excitedly that the test was positive; to hear now that that moment would probably never come …

"God, I'm awful," he groaned and dropped the remote next to him on the couch. He honestly thought he had got over Sasuke, that he had buried his feelings for the older man.

His feelings had never left and had instead grown stronger throughout the years. In the beginning he had been happy to just remain near the dark haired man, to soak up his presence like a sponge and content himself with the fact that he was the only one who could call himself Uchiha Sasuke's best friend. A lot of people would do anything to gain that particular position and he, a poor orphan with no noticeable skills except for the ability to piss off people easily, had managed to become Sasuke's best friend without even doing something special.

For years he had cherished being Sasuke's best friend until he had realised that his feelings for the raven haired man went beyond that of a best friend. A man shouldn't want to kiss his best friend on the lips; shouldn't want to find out how his best friend's skin felt beneath his fingers; shouldn't want to know how it felt like to be loved by their best friend. Shouldn't jerk off to fantasies about his best friend.

He had hidden his feelings because he feared that Sasuke wouldn't want to be his best friend anymore if he knew the truth – and that had turned out to be a good thing when Sasuke had announced his engagement to Sakura. Those two made a perfect couple – even Naruto could see that.

That didn't mean however that he didn't wish to take Sakura's place next to Sasuke.

After their wedding, he had tried to get over Sasuke. He had buried himself in his work as an art teacher in secondary school, had taken up training in a martial arts class taught by one of his former classmates and had even tried out going on dates with a couple of men. He had believed that he was over Sasuke.

Instead of disappearing, his feelings had just gone into hiding for the moment, waiting and festering until they could rise up to the surface again.

Miserably he stared down at his naked feet. Maybe he should have distanced himself more from Sasuke – maybe if he hadn't remain near him, he would have really got over him.

Maybe he wouldn't be a bit happy now to hear that Sakura couldn't give Sasuke what he wanted.

Fuck, he was an awful friend.

But no matter how shitty he felt, his heart still went out to the couple and he wanted to help them achieve their dream. If anyone deserved to have a baby, it was them. After all those years of them helping _him_ out, pushing _him_ forwards when he wanted nothing more than to give up, he wanted to do something that would help _them_. He wanted to help them attain their dream, like they had aided him in reaching his dream. If it wasn't for them, he wouldn't be teaching now; he would probably be living somewhere on the streets. They deserved to have their dream become reality.

He wanted to do something that would take their grief away – and yes, help him ease the guilt of feeling a brief moment of happiness and make him feel less in their debt.

But what could he possibly do to help them with this particular …

His head shot up and his crystal blue eyes widened when an idea slowly started to form in his head.

Yes, that might actually work … if he could convince the couple to do it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: As promised, here I am with the second chapter! I must admit that I'm pleasantly surprised by the response this fic has got so far! It really makes me happy to read your lovely reviews!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: Explanation as to how MPreg is possible; that's it mostly for this chapter
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 2_

Nobody knew when exactly the gene mutation appeared and what the cause of it had been. Was it just something that had naturally developed, as part of the evolution? Was it something in the air that affected some men more than others?

Not one scientist could discover the truth. The fact of the matter was that some men were born with fully operational wombs. They did not get the regular menstrual cycles like women; instead the blood forming the lining of the womb was absorbed back in the body and filtered in the kidneys – how such a process was possible, was yet another mystery that science hoped to solve one day.

Being in possession of a fully operational womb, these men were indeed capable of becoming pregnant. And though their womb was connected through a small passage with their anal canal, giving birth the natural way was out of the question entirely, as both man and baby would die. The only way they could deliver a baby successfully was through a caesarean section.

Men with such a particular infliction only knew when they were fertile by keeping track of their body temperature. For five days each month, they were the most fertile and that expressed itself through a rise in the body temperature. A slight rise – only one to two, at most three degrees – but a rise nonetheless.

Not all men were born with a womb. In fact, the majority of men didn't have the extra appendage inside of them. There seemed to be no specific reason why one man was born with it and another not. It appeared to be purely random, so every baby boy was put underneath a body scan when they were six months old to verify whether the boy was in possession of such a gene or not. That way the parents could take the appropriate precautions for the moment when their son became sexually active.

Naruto was a man who carried the gene. As his parents had died in a car crash when he was barely three years old, he had been informed about his predicament by the director of the orphanage he had been put in. Only a select few people in his life knew about this little fact: his former teacher Iruka, as the man had been the closest to a father figure he had ever had, and his best friends Sasuke, Sakura and Gaara. He didn't like to broadcast the fact that he could carry children, as a lot of people tended to ridicule men like him. Men like him were seen as an abomination sometimes; freaks that shouldn't exist and should be shunned from society. While a large part of society tended to ignore it when a pregnant man walked on the streets, it still wasn't a smart idea to spread the news around all willy-nilly.

Naruto hadn't been willing at first to confide in his best friends that he carried the gene, but after a long time of wavering, he had decided that he didn't want any secrets between them. His best friends had assured him that they didn't care about it – he was still Naruto, their best friend, and that wouldn't change.

It was this knowledge and the fact that he was capable of carrying that he was planning to use to help his friends.

* * *

It became harder to ignore the jade green eyes piercing into his skull. With a sigh, Naruto looked up from the magazine that detailed everything a man needed to do once he had planned on getting pregnant.

"What?" he asked and looked at his friend imploringly.

It was Saturday, five days after Sasuke had confided into him that Sakura was unable to get pregnant. Since the idea had popped up into his head that he could offer to be their surrogate, Naruto had collected every magazine that dealt with this particular subject and was pouring over them, intent on fully educating himself before he visited his friends to make the offer. Despite having known for years that he carried the gene and therefore had to use protection every time he slept with another guy, he never really had looked into what it exactly entailed. It was a lot more complicated than he had expected.

He had started reading the magazines as soon as he had woken up, which was fairly early considering he liked to sleep in during the weekends. Thankfully there was coffee to kick his brain in gear completely.

He had only been reading and jotting down notes for an hour when a knock on his door had disrupted his concentration. Gaara had shown up with breakfast as some sort of peace offering for not having spoken to him for nearly a week and a half. It had been quite difficult to hide the magazines from the red haired man and Naruto had reluctantly told him what he was planning to do and why. He doubted Sasuke wanted their whole friend circle to know what was going on, but the blond trusted Gaara to keep his mouth shut. His red haired friend wasn't the type to gossip.

"Are you seriously going to be the surrogate for Uchiha?" Gaara asked, his voice a bit hoarse. Large bags – a present from his insomnia – made his eyes look darker than they were and he looked exhausted.

Naruto frowned and rested his hand on the page he had been studying before Gaara's stare had got to him too much to ignore. "Yes, I already told you that. I'm just looking up what exactly needs to be done."

"Naruto," Gaara sighed and put his cup with steaming coffee on the table. "This is not like giving him a ride or offering to loan him some money. We're talking about you actually carrying his child."

"Yes, I know. That's the whole point, Gaara," Naruto couldn't help but reply snidely. He hunched his shoulders forwards and sullenly traced some letters on the page. "They want a baby and I can give them that. I just want to help them."

"If you want to help them so much, why not search other people who can act like a surrogate for them? It's not your job to do something like that," Gaara insisted and frowned disapprovingly.

The blond man pursed his lips and gazed at his friend incredulously. "I know you're not particularly fond of the bastard, but you know he doesn't trust strange people. He would never trust someone he doesn't know to carry his child."

"I don't think you understand the impact that it will have on you, Naruto," Gaara pressed further and leant forwards.

"Look, I can deal with the nausea, the soreness and everything else that pops up when carrying a child," Naruto retorted impatiently and waved his hand. "It'll only be for nine months anyway, that's not so long. And I'm sure the pervert won't mind giving me the last two months off or so if it's necessary."

If he explained everything to Jiraiya, the headmaster of the school he taught at, he was certain that the older man would understand it and give him the last month off. The man wasn't unreasonable.

"I'm not only talking about the physical impact, Naruto." Gaara frowned harder and looked frustrated. "Have you thought about what carrying a child will do to you mentally?"

"Gaara, I …"

"How do you know for certain that you won't get attached to the baby after carrying it for nine months? What are you going to do when it is time to give the baby up to Uchiha and Haruno and you realise that you actually want to keep it?" His harsh, green eyes softened a fraction. "I know that you want to help them, but Naruto, I'm worried that you will become too attached to the baby. You've never been able to separate yourself from situations; carrying a baby for Uchiha will only get you into trouble. What if you end up wanting to keep the baby and you start to resent Uchiha for taking it away from you? Carrying his child will only lead to major problems, can't you see that? It could end up destroying your bond with Uchiha and I know how much you value his friendship. Are you really willing to jeopardize your friendship with him just to help him?"

Naruto stared at the page, feeling quite uncomfortable underneath Gaara's scrutiny. It wasn't as if he hadn't thought of that particular possibility. He wasn't that stupid – he knew there was a chance that he would become attached to the baby. He had considered that angle, had agonized over it for a couple of nights, but in the end he had decided that he would take that risk. Even if he somehow ended up becoming attached to the baby, his desire to help his friends and make them happy would outweigh his desire to keep the baby. It wasn't as if he would never see the baby after it was born – he could be the fun uncle to it.

No matter how much he _might_ – a huge stress on 'might' – end up wanting to keep the baby, it wouldn't be worth losing his best friends over it. He would never want to hurt Sasuke and Sakura by keeping their baby from them. He wasn't evil like that. Yes, he might have wished to take Sakura's place at Sasuke's side, but he was realistic. He knew it would never happen. But after all those years of them looking out for him, helping him, he wanted to do something back. He wanted to be the one helping them now.

A baby was all they wanted right now, everything they couldn't have, and Naruto was the one who could give it to him.

"I just want to help them, Gaara," Naruto admitted softly after a long, painful silence rang through the small kitchen. "They have helped me out so many times before – I want to be the one helping them now."

"But does it have to be this?" Gaara inquired and sighed. "There are just so many things that can go wrong; I don't think you should do it."

"I know I can grow attached to the baby, but I also know that I want to make my friends happy more than I want to keep the baby," Naruto answered and looked up with a stubborn look. "Besides, it's not like I'll never see it again afterwards. I can be the uncle to it. I just don't like seeing my friends unhappy like this. Especially when I know I can help them and make them happy."

Slender, pale hands rubbed exasperatedly over his face. "No matter what I say, you'll just end up going through with it, huh?"

"Yeah, if Sasuke and Sakura-chan agree to it," Naruto murmured and bit his lip. "I know you're worried, Gaara, but I'll be fine, I promise."

Gaara stared at him broodingly, before he shook his head in resignation. "I foresee a lot of trouble happening, but fine. Do what you want."

"So you won't try to convince me otherwise?" Naruto raised an eyebrow sceptically. He had trouble believing that the red haired man would give up that easily.

The other one leant back in his chair and gave him an unimpressed scowl. "I've known you long enough to realise that nothing I'll say will persuade you. If you want to do something, you're going to do it, regardless of what I tell you." Gaara shrugged; the corners of his mouth pulled down in dismay.

"I just want to …"

"Help them, I know," Gaara sighed and rolled his shoulders with a slight grimace. "It's fine. I'll be on your side, like always."

"Thanks, Gaara," Naruto murmured and gave him a small smile. The next moment he couldn't quite contain the yawn that broke through. After nearly a week of restless sleep while he tried to decide whether or not to offer himself as surrogate, he wasn't rested at all and there was only so much strong coffee could do.

Gaara eyed him curiously. "Bad night?"

"Something like that, yeah."

His friend cocked his head to the left. "Want to go back to sleep?"

Naruto looked at him contemplatively. "A bit. You've become tired enough to attempt to sleep?"

Insomnia had been plaguing his friend for years already and none of the medication the doctors put him on seemed to help. Gaara always ended up staying awake until he crashed; his body and mind too tired to cope with being awake.

"I think so. It's been nearly a week now," Gaara muttered and furrowed his eyebrows. He looked like he wanted to ask something, but he seemed hesitant.

After years of being his friend – and having experience with deciphering blank faces – Naruto had a feeling what the green eyed man wanted to ask. "You want to share the futon with me?" he asked lightly and closed the magazine he had been reading, putting it back on the small pile that had grown throughout the entire week.

A flush of embarrassment coloured Gaara's cheeks and he glanced away; his fingers burrowing into his sleeves until they nearly resembled claws.

Naruto started cleaning the table to give Gaara some time to contemplate his offer. The magazines were put on one pile and placed on his desk, which had been put underneath the large window in the living room. The two dirty cups were washed off, dried and put back into the cupboards. The leftovers from their breakfast were put into plastic containers and those found their way into the small fridge.

All the while Naruto had been bustling around the kitchen and living room, Gaara stayed seated at the kitchen table, his eyes downcast.

Just like Sasuke, Gaara was not fond of emotional displays or telling what he was thinking. Every once in a while, though, the red haired man opened his heart and let Naruto take a peek inside before he closed off again. One of those moments had been when Gaara had self-consciously admitted that Naruto's scent and presence next to him tended to ease him into a deep sleep. It had nothing sexual to it; Gaara wasn't interested in him like that, Naruto knew, but the man was comforted by his presence and the blond had witnessed with his own eyes how Gaara seemed to have an easier time sleeping when Naruto was near him.

Naruto had lost count of how many times they had shared a bed or a futon so far. Both being sort of outcasts since they grew up, they found comfort in each other's presence.

Looking with critical eyes around the kitchen, Naruto decided that nothing else could be done and approached his friend, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder.

Jade green eyes eyed him warily; exhaustion and apprehension warring deep inside his eyes.

"Come, you can share my futon with me," Naruto said with a coaxing smile and Gaara appeared to have given up his idea of resistance, because he meekly followed Naruto to his bedroom where the futon was still laid out.

The blond was the first one to lay down on the futon and he lay down with his back to Gaara, remembering from previous experience that Gaara was quicker to get next to him when Naruto wasn't facing him. Some sort of shame, the blond guessed, because Gaara could only sleep well with his best friend next to him.

Shoes were kicked off and then Gaara joined him on the futon, laying down next to him. After a short, tense moment, his friend shuffled closer until his head rested against Naruto's shoulder.

"Sweet dreams," Naruto murmured amused and let out a stifled yelp when a hand smacked his hip.

"Shut up," Gaara muttered petulantly.

Not long afterwards their breathing synchronized, both falling asleep; comforted by each other's warmth.

* * *

"I figured that you can come over for dinner tonight," Sakura said. "It's been a while since you last came over, you know."

Even through the phone, her forced cheeriness was plainly obvious and it made Naruto grimace. He didn't like how Sakura was forcing herself to remain chipper; Sasuke must have surely told her that Naruto knew about their problem.

But if she didn't want to talk about it now, Naruto wouldn't force her. "Yeah, it's been a while. Sure, why not," he chuckled and twirled his pencil between his fingers; staring blankly at the sketch he had been working on for the past half hour. "How late do you expect me to be at your place?"

"Well, I'm having a later shift than usual, so how about seven thirty? I know it's a bit late, but one of the nurses called in sick and I have to take over her shift," she apologised and groaned.

"Hey, no problem. Seven thirty sounds good. I'll see you then," he smiled and threw down his pencil.

"All right, see you then, Naruto."

_Click._ The phone call had ended. With a low groan, he rolled his shoulders to get the annoying kink out of it and stared pensively at the clock in his classroom. Two twenty. In just ten minutes his classroom would be filled with his last students of today, so that they could start on the next module. Fortunately for him, this particular group was a quiet one, not prone to disrupting his lesson in any way, which was a relief. In his current mood, he didn't think he would have been able to remain calm if the students decided to goof off.

His conversation with Gaara had been three days ago and since then he had read all the information he could get his hands on. He knew what to do and what to expect, but all that studying would be for naught if Sasuke and Sakura decided that they didn't want to accept his offer.

Problem was: how on earth was he supposed to suggest that he would act as their surrogate? Maybe the idea of surrogacy on its own wouldn't bother them, but Naruto had a feeling that the manner in which the baby would be conceived would create a big obstacle and might very well be the reason why they would refuse. Unlike with women, he couldn't have any eggs extracted from him to be combined with Sasuke's seed in a lab before they were injected into his womb again. Scientists had tried that before, but none of those experiments had ended in a successful pregnancy. According to the articles he had read, it had something to do with the hormone level being present in his body at the moment of conception. That particular hormone ensured that the chance of becoming pregnant was heightened - if the conception happened through sexual intercourse. If the egg was merely injected back, the lack of the hormone would end in failure to conceive. The article had described it in complicated medical jargon, so Naruto hadn't understood everything of it, but he could understand the gist of it.

If Sasuke and Sakura agreed to have him act as their surrogate, Sasuke would need to sleep with him in order for Naruto to carry his child.

Naruto swallowed and tugged at the neckline of his sweater. Sasuke had never cared about the fact that Naruto was gay – but there was a strong difference between not caring and accepting and actually having sex with a person of the same gender. A huge difference that in this case meant the difference between pregnancy or no pregnancy.

"Why did I think it was such a good idea again?" he grumbled to himself and sighed. Right, because he wanted to help his friends.

Damn it.

Abruptly he straightened his back when the door slid open and the students started to pour in, chattering quietly amongst themselves.

Standing up to welcome them, Naruto resolved to himself that he would find a way to breach the subject to Sasuke and Sakura later.

Perhaps after dinner tonight. No sense in delaying it any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: What do you think of it? I know nothing much has happened yet, but I'm still setting up the story a bit before we can dive into it.
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> Next chapter will have Naruto informing his friends about his offer; wonder how they'll react to that? 
> 
> See you all back on the twenty-first for the third chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Here I am with the third chapter! Thank you again for your lovely response to this story!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: a bit of drama, I suppose, but nothing too bad.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 3_

"What am I doing?" Naruto whispered aghast as he stood frozen in front of the closed door. He had taken the bus to reach Sasuke's place and all the way here he had been arguing with himself, trying to find a way to introduce the topic of surrogacy to his friends. He had thought he had finally found a good way to break it to them, but now that he was here, waiting in front of their door, a heavy weight seemed to plummet through his body and he swallowed nervously. Scratching the back of his head, he bit his lip and contemplated once more whether it would be a good idea to announce his idea tonight. There was no way the couple would agree to let him help; Sasuke would have to go very far in order to get a child and the blond man couldn't imagine his best friend being willing to sleep with him, even if that resulted into a pregnancy and therefore his own child.

Sleeping together had the potential of messing up their friendship and if there was one thing that Naruto couldn't stand to lose, it was Sasuke's and Sakura's friendship.

But he really wanted to help them …

His gloved hands clenched into fists on either side and he shuffled with his feet, wincing when the cold wind grazed his cheeks. Well, he couldn't keep standing here, right? Sakura would be wondering where he was if he kept loitering here on their porch.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, filling his lungs with the ice cold night air, he raised his hand and pressed the button of the doorbell for a couple of seconds. Once he deemed he had pressed on the doorbell long enough, he let his hand drop to his side and he rocked back on his heels; blue eyes swivelling from left to right, taking in the dark, huge shapes of the trees surrounding the property. One streetlight cast an orange glow across the grass and somewhere further down the street, an owl hooted softly. The noise of traffic was a faint buzzing sound.

The light in the hallway being turned on caught Naruto's attention and he turned to face the door when it opened, revealing Sasuke in a pair of dark slacks and a white shirt of which the first two buttons were undone, revealing glimpses of sharp collarbone and smooth, pale skin.

"You took the bus?" Sasuke greeted him and stepped aside to let him enter.

"Yeah, I hope I'm not too late. The second bus got stuck in traffic for a bit," Naruto muttered and slipped his gloves into the pockets of his jacket before hanging it on a silver peg. His shoes, a bit scuffed at the sides, were carelessly put underneath the jacket and he hastily slipped on the house slippers to avoid the cold floor touching his feet.

"Nah, you're not late. Sakura is just putting dinner on the table," the dark haired man informed him and beckoned him to follow him to the dining room.

Naruto couldn't resist the urge to flicker his eyes at Sasuke's arse, noticing how his trousers clung to his arse quite well. Hastily he brought his eyes back up, feeling ashamed for having ogled his friend like that.

_Keep it together, Uzumaki_ , he scolded himself silently, praying fervently that his cheeks weren't as red as they felt like. And if they were, he hoped that Sasuke would just attribute that to the cold air.

Warm, green eyes looked up when both men entered the room and Sakura smiled as she straightened up from putting the third plate on the table.

"Naruto-kun, it's so good to see you again! It's been too long," she told him and came over to hug him after rubbing her hand over her light green apron; her pink hair, which smelt faintly like lavender, tickling his cheek.

He returned her hug with a smile. "It's nice to see you again as well, Sakura-chan."

"I already put the food on the plates to avoid having the pots cluttering the table, so let's eat!" she smiled, but Naruto noticed how her cheered appearance seemed forced, like she was trying too hard to keep the smile on her face.

His resolve strengthened at seeing that. He had the power to turn that smile into a real one and he would use that power. He would leave it up to them to decide whether they wanted to accept his offer.

Naruto took a seat next to Sasuke and inhaled deeply when the aroma of the food curled into his nostrils. "Hm, that smells good, Sakura-chan!" he grinned and looked at his plate. Sakura had made mizutaki, a hot pot dish with bite-size pieces of chicken, small blocks of tofu, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushrooms, which had simmered in kombu dashi soup stock. Little bowls filled with ponzu sauce to dip the food in it were placed in front of their plates. Usually this particular dish was cooked at the dining table, but Naruto figured that Sakura simply wasn't in the mood to carry too much dishes back to the kitchen.

After expressing their thanks for the food, they started eating and a short pause followed before they slowly started to talk about their job. Sakura did most of the talking during dinner, as she clearly needed to let off some steam of everything that had happened in the hospital. She especially seemed to dislike one particular nurse named Yamanaka Ino, who she had got into several spats with before during the past few weeks.

Naruto let the both of them do the majority of the talking; he didn't have anything particularly interesting to say and in spite of his resolve, his nerves were starting to act up again, making it difficult for him to concentrate on the ongoing conversation.

Dinner ended around an hour later and they leant back into their chairs, sipping from their drinks as outside the wind howled impressively.

"You've been so quiet tonight, Naruto-kun," Sakura remarked and furrowed her eyebrows. "Is something the matter?"

Startled, he looked up from his contemplation of the table cloth – it was a very light pink one, almost bordering on white, and it had roses embroidered on it – and stared at the pink haired woman. "Huh?" was his eloquent reply and he cringed, taking a hasty sip of his drink to cover up the way he had cringed.

"I said: you've been quiet this entire time," she repeated patiently and frowned harder. "Is something bothering you?"

Well, there was no better way to start this particular conversation, was there?

His hand shook a bit when he placed his glass back on the table and he felt dark eyes narrow at that sight. In a vain attempt to hide the shaking, he brought his hands down to his lap where he started to fiddle with a loose thread of his sweater, nervously plucking at it.

"It's … Okay, first promise me you'll hear me out," Naruto muttered and looked at them pleadingly. "No interrupting before I'm done, no throwing dishes or shouting or … or anything really, until I'm done talking."

"What on earth did you do now, idiot?" Sasuke pressed his lips tight together and the look he favoured the blond with was full of suspicion.

Naruto glowered at him. "I didn't do anything, bastard! Just hear me out!" he bit out annoyed.

Sakura eyed him with a strange mixture of curiosity and apprehension, but she nodded silently, placing her own glass in front of her plate before crossing her arms.

Idly Naruto wondered whether that was to keep her from throwing something at him. "I, eh, I think I know a way to help you get a child," he blurted out and almost cringed again at how abrupt he had sounded just now.

"What the hell are you talking about, Naruto?" Sasuke asked flatly and his whole body stilled.

Naruto glanced down, feeling uncomfortable underneath his heavy gaze. "I thought that, because Sakura-chan is having some trouble with it, you could get a child through, you know, surrogacy," he mumbled and cleared his throat.

"Surrogacy," Sasuke repeated blankly. "Like hell will I allow some stranger to carry my child," he continued scornfully.

"I didn't mean a stranger," Naruto replied and raised his head again. His cheeks heated up, but he stubbornly kept his head up. His friends wouldn't take him seriously if he kept his gaze at the ground.

"Who are you talking about then?" Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows and cocked his head to the right. "Did you talk to any of your friends about it?" His clenched fist on the table was difficult to ignore.

"No, I …"

"You're not talking about any of our mutual friends, right, Naruto-kun?" Sakura suddenly broke through their conversation and both men switched their gazes to her, a bit startled. Her light green eyes were far too knowing for Naruto's liking.

"No," he admitted and rubbed the back of his neck. He released a sigh and bit his lip. "I'm talking about me. If – if you want, I – I can be your surrogate."

There. It was out. He had given them the offer. Now it was time for them to decide whether they wanted to accept his offer or not. The butterflies in his stomach started to multiply once more.

"Naruto-kun …" Sakura trailed off and bit her lip in an uncharacteristic sign of uncertainty.

"Did you lose your mind?" Sasuke asked abruptly and stared at him as if he was crazy. Well, the dark haired man probably suspected he was.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "I didn't lose my mind, bastard. You want a baby and I can give you one. You don't trust a stranger to carry your child, but I'm not a stranger. I looked up what needs to happen. I already started to monitor my temperature and …"

His rambling was cut off by Sakura. "Naruto-kun, we can't ask you to do that," she murmured and gazed at him with a complicated mixture of feelings. "We're the ones with the problem; you don't need to burden yourself with that."

"But I want to help you!" Naruto protested and leant forwards, supporting himself with his elbows on the table. "You want a baby, right? Well, I can help you with that. It's not a burden to me, I swear!"

"But you can't have your egg taken out to be fertilized with Sasuke-kun's seed, right?" Sakura prodded and she only faintly blushed.

"Well, no," the blond admitted reluctantly and refused to glance at the man next to him. "It … According to the magazines I read, it would have to be, you know … the natural way." His cheeks seemed to heat up even more and even Sakura looked uncomfortable.

"The natural way?" Sasuke sounded cool. "You mean I would have to have sex with you?"

Was it Naruto's paranoia that imagined the faint disgust ringing through Sasuke's voice or did the dark haired man really loathe the idea of sleeping with Naruto to have a child?

He knew that the chances of Sasuke being at least bisexual were slim to none, but he couldn't help but shrink a bit, hurt blossoming up in his chest. It wasn't his fault he had been born as a man.

He swallowed and nodded meekly, finding his fiddling fingers way more interesting than the heavy dark eyes trained upon him. "Yeah, the magazines said that in my case, a particular sort of hormone gets activated during, during sex and that makes it possible for a pregnancy to happen."

He seriously hoped that Sasuke wouldn't ask the name of that type of hormone – Naruto was already more than happy to understand at least the gist of what the articles had been stating.

Sakura nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I've read about that hormone before," she mumbled and her pastel blue painted nails tapped slowly on her arm. "If the egg was taken out to be fertilized with seed, the hormone wouldn't be present in your body when the egg is inserted again and the pregnancy would fail. The only way for men like you to have a baby is through sexual intercourse."

"Yes, and the way I know when I'm the most fertile is by taking my temperature," Naruto muttered, remembering that particular bit of information in the third magazine he had read. "It'll be a couple of degrees higher than normal."

"Did you by any chance already start taking your temperature?" Sakura asked neutrally.

Naruto glanced away guiltily. "Yeah, since I read those articles I've been keeping track of it." He shrugged, a bit uncomfortable. "So far there hasn't been any change yet."

"Why the hell are you even offering to be our surrogate? This is not like taking a walk in the park, Naruto!" Sasuke spat and scowled at him.

"I know that! I did my reading!" Naruto snapped back heatedly. "You two have helped me so much all those years, now I want to help you."

"Naruto-kun, you don't need to pay us back for our help," Sakura sighed and grimaced. "We helped you, because we wanted to; not because we were expecting something in return."

"I know," Naruto repeated sullenly. "But I just want to help you guys this time. I know how much you want a baby and I can give that to you. It's something I can do to help you."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Sasuke hissed, shoved his chair violently backwards and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him on his way out.

Naruto flinched and his shoulders slumped. He didn't hear Sasuke's car, so the man was probably still in the house, but it was clear that to him the conversation was over.

"I didn't mean to make him angry," he mumbled apologetically and finally dared to look up.

The pink haired woman offered him a weak smile. "I know you didn't, Naruto-kun." She shifted on her seat and ran a hand through her half long hair. "I think he's just …" She sought for the right word to describe the state of her husband. "Overwhelmed," she decided and nodded. She chuckled weakly. "None of us were expecting you to offer something like that, you know. It's not exactly a light offer."

"I realise that, but I assure you, I just want to help you," he replied and released his abused lip. "This is something I can do for you two and I know how much you want to have a baby."

"It's really sweet of you, Naruto-kun," she smiled sadly. "But there are just so many risks involved with it, you know? I mean, that baby would still be biologically yours as well and …"

"I swear I won't keep it!" he hastened to reassure her. "As soon as the baby is born, I'll hand him or her over to you, I promise."

"You're saying that now, but …" She shook her head. "It's … I've seen women who act as a surrogate become attached to the baby they are carrying and that's quite normal. I mean, that baby is inside of them for nine months – it's difficult not to become attached to something that has been growing inside of you, that you felt moving around. And at the end of the road, they were – more often than not – sad that they had to give up the child. Some even decided to keep it and fled before the parents could take the child. It's just so complicated and it messes with friendships. I'm not sure whether …"

"Sakura-chan, when have I ever broken a promise?" Naruto asked and gazed at her intently.

She hesitated, before she gave in reluctantly, "Never."

"I promise I will hand over your baby to you once it's born. I want to see you two happy and I would never forgive myself if I made you unhappy," he said determined. "I can keep my distance from it, I promise. I won't turn out like some of your patients."

Silence fell over the dining room like a blanket while Sakura bent her head and seemed to think about what he had said. Giving her time to contemplate it – he knew it was a tough decision, one which shouldn't be rushed at all – he looked away, out of the large window. Nothing but blackness greeted him. The streetlights didn't reach this far and the property behind the house was surrounded by large trees, blocking the streetlights situated in the street behind their garden. The wind was still howling outside, making leaves rustle and the younger, smaller trees wave back and forth gently.

Eugh, he wasn't looking forward to going back to his apartment in this weather. The central heating in his apartment wasn't enough to block out all the cold seeping through the cracks and he would have to bundle up in several layers before he went to sleep if he wanted to avoid becoming too cold to get a decent rest.

He had agreed to meet up with Iruka for coffee tomorrow afternoon and it wouldn't do if he sat there yawning. Not to mention that helping out Kiba with his dogs whilst being half asleep was something that wasn't recommended either.

Blue eyes were drawn to the square, black clock hanging on the wall behind Sakura and he inwardly sighed when he saw that it was already a quarter to ten. There would be fewer busses driving at this late hour and it would be a hell to catch one. He so hated relying on public transport.

"I'm going to talk about this with Sasuke-kun," Sakura announced, startling him out of contemplation of the clock. "It's a big decision and I can't make that without his consent." She looked exhausted, grim, but there was also some hope warring with weariness deep in her eyes.

Naruto thought she appreciated his offer, might even agree to it, but she was too overwhelmed now to do something about it.

He understood that. He had had almost three weeks to come to this decision; he would give the couple all the time they needed.

"Okay, I think it's time for me to go home," he smiled feebly and stood up. "Don't want to miss the last bus."

"I can drive you," she offered immediately and stood up as well.

He waved his hand dismissively. "No thanks. No need for that." Unwillingly he looked up at the ceiling where in one of those rooms Sasuke had shut himself in. "I can get home without any problems."

She looked at him sympathetically as he went to collect his jacket, shoes and gloves. "He won't stay mad; you know him. At least he can't stay mad at you for long," she smiled encouragingly.

"Yeah, I know," he smiled weakly and pulled on his gloves. Sasuke did indeed never stay mad for long at him, but then again, all those other times didn't involve him offering to play their surrogate. "Good night, Sakura-chan."

She hugged him. "Good night, Naruto-kun. Be careful."

He waved at her once more as she stood in the door opening and he flicked his eyes at a window on the first floor, where light shone through the heavy curtains. With a despondent sigh, he turned around, stuffed his gloved hands in his pockets and made the trek to the bus stop, all the while scolding himself for not bringing up the topic in a more delicate manner.

He really didn't like leaving Sasuke angry behind. It brought up memories he rather didn't recall.

Now he could only wait and see what his friends would decide to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Next up: Sakura and Sasuke inform Naruto of their decision.
> 
> Please leave a review behind with your thoughts; should you spot any mistake, please point them out to me.
> 
> I see you all again the fifth of May in the fourth chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Like promised, here's the fourth chapter! Here you'll find out Sasuke's and Sakura's decision to Naruto's offer.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: nothing really special. Some explanation as to how the baby will be conceived, but nothing that really requires a warning I think
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 4_

He didn't hear anything from either Sasuke or Sakura for a week and a half. Several times his hand hovered above his phone, ready to dial either Sasuke's or Sakura's number, but he stopped himself every time. He knew he had to give them time to discuss it. What Naruto had proposed, was after all not something as easy as borrowing their car or sleep over at their house. His suggestion was literally life changing and would have a big impact on everyone.

That didn't make waiting for their answer any easier, though. He felt anxious; scared that he had damaged their friendship with his idea. He couldn't bear the thought that he had changed their friendship forever.

Nevertheless he dutifully kept track of his temperature; jotting down the temperature in a small notebook.

The blond did his best not to let his thoughts stray too much; he couldn't afford zoning out during his classes after all. Iruka seemed to notice that he was otherwise occupied, but thankfully the man wasn't one to pry.

"Thanks for helping me out, man. I know you're busy," Kiba said gratefully as he locked up the kennel.

"I'm glad to help," Naruto grinned and crossed his arms behind his head. His breath escaped him in white clouds and he couldn't suppress the shiver going through him as the ice cold wind howled around him. His jacket was too flimsy to protect him from the cold.

"Still, I appreciate it." Kiba clapped him on his back and the blond grunted from the impact.

"I would have asked Shino, but the bug freak had some kind of exposition to go to," the brown haired man said and rolled his eyes.

"It's okay. I like taking care of the dogs," Naruto chuckled and chanced a look at the cloudy night sky.

"You have any plans for tonight?" Kiba questioned and breathed in his cupped hands to warm them up as they made their way down the street.

"Not really. Why do …" Naruto paused when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. "Sorry, someone is calling me."

Kiba shrugged and uncovered a bar of chocolate from his pocket.

Hastily Naruto pulled his phone out of his jacket's pocket and his eyes widened considerably when he read the name flashing across his screen urgently.

Sasuke was calling him.

Trepidation growing, he swallowed and pressed the 'accept call' button. "Hello?"

Heavy silence reigned for a few seconds and then Sasuke released a sigh. "We need to talk. Where are you now?"

"Eh, I just left Kiba's kennel," Naruto replied, a tad nervous. The whole " _We need to talk_ " didn't sound very promising.

"I'll come pick you up," Sasuke said brusquely.

Naruto's step faltered and ignoring Kiba's inquiring look, he protested, "You don't have to! I can take the bus."

"Don't be stupid, Naruto. With all the stops that bus has, you'll only arrive in an hour," Sasuke retorted annoyed. "I'm close by anyway. I'll be there in fifteen minutes; wait at the corner of the street."

The call ended before Naruto even got the chance to refuse once more.

"Shit," he cursed and scowled at his cell phone.

"What's wrong? Bad news?" Kiba asked concerned and lowered his half devoured chocolate bar.

Blue eyes flicked up at the man next to him before they glanced away. "Sasuke is picking me up," he explained curtly.

"While I can understand why you're not feeling up to enjoy his prissy mood," Kiba began dryly, "you're usually more enthusiastic to meet up with him. Did you two have a fight? Don't tell me you stole his precious tomatoes," he joked, but concern tinted his voice.

Naruto couldn't even muster up the energy to smile and instead sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Not really. Just an argument," he dismissed his friend's concern.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Kiba offered when they halted on the street corner.

"Nah, go home. Sasuke will be here soon," Naruto muttered and waved the other man off.

"Are you sure?" Kiba eyed him warily, hovering next to him.

"Yeah, man, go. Before your sister gets mad again," Naruto answered lightly.

Kiba winced at the mention of his bossy sister, but nodded and turned left to go home.

Rubbing briskly over his arms to warm himself, he bit his lip and turned to face the direction where Sasuke was most likely to appear.

Considering the topic they had talked about last time they had seen each other, Sasuke could only want to discuss one subject; Naruto wondered whether Sakura would be in the car or not. Where would they go to discuss it? Would there be anything to discuss?

Something inside of him – nerves maybe? – stirred and he rocked back and forth; his unseeing eyes locked onto the dark pavement. The streetlights barely provided decent light; some of them stuttered, clearly on the verge of giving out completely. Most of the light came from the houses where rooms were brightly lit and from the few carved out pumpkins, whose crooked grins offered an eerie sight.

Right, it was almost Halloween; there was only one week left, but unlike previous years he couldn't muster up any excitement for it. There was too much worry clouding his mind for him to enjoy the upcoming holiday.

Twin beams of light slid along the road, illuminating the asphalt and dirt, accompanied by the sound of a car's motor.

A couple of seconds later, a familiar car stopped in front of the blond man, who swallowed nervously.

The window was lowered and dark eyes glinted. "Get in."

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked, irritated at the way he had been ordered.

Sasuke clucked his tongue impatiently and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "To my place. Sakura is already there."

Well, her presence might make the discussion somewhat easier.

He hoped.

Legs slightly trembling, he walked around the car and stepped inside; unwillingly relaxing as he was hit with warm air being blasted from the car's heaters.

"Still wearing that jacket?" Sasuke's gaze remained fixated at the road as he took a turn to the right, but his tone of voice was leaning towards scolding.

In response Naruto pulled the slightly raffled sleeves over his hands and stubbornly looked out of the window; his face being illuminated by every streetlight they drove past. "We can't all afford to buy brand coats every damn month," he spat out spitefully; his pride attacked. His financial issues had been a sore topic between them for a long time already.

Sasuke snorted harshly, but didn't reply for once.

Tense silence reigned in the car and Naruto watched disinterestedly the houses as they drove past them. Only a couple of other cars were on the road as well; most people were already home, either enjoying dinner or relaxing behind their television. Naruto still had to look over his notes for tomorrow and prepare himself for the teacher's meeting that would take place in the afternoon. He barely concealed his groan of exasperation when he realised that he needed to buy groceries again as he only had a half empty box of cereals left. Crap, rent needed to be paid at the end of next week as well. He would need to figure out how much money he still had left after his rent was subtracted.

Going into overdraft once was more than enough; he didn't want to experience that panic ever again.

"We're here," Sasuke announced briskly and removed his keys from the ignition.

Naruto blinked bemused and took off his seatbelt; he had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had neglected to notice they had arrived at Sasuke's place.

Flinching when the cold wind nipped at his skin, he hastily followed Sasuke to the front door after the latter had retrieved his briefcase from the trunk.

A nervously smiling Sakura greeted them in the doorway. "Welcome back," she murmured and shared a brief kiss with Sasuke.

Naruto swallowed and looked away; his stomach flipping upside down. One would think he had grown used to these displays of affection between his two friends.

"I'm glad to see you again, Naruto-kun," Sakura smiled and hugged him; the flowery scent of her perfume filling his nostrils.

His nose twitched with the urge to sneeze, but he managed to hold it back. "Hello, Sakura-chan," he mumbled and returned her embrace.

"Let's go to the living room, okay?" she suggested and sounded nervous, her light tone forced.

"Excuse me for the intrusion," Naruto muttered habitually and exchanged his shoes for a pair of house slippers.

"I made some tea," the pink haired woman announced, lingering in the hallway as she waited for the two men to remove their jackets. "I'll go get it. You can go to the living room."

Sasuke scrutinized him and beckoned him to follow.

The blond didn't think the atmosphere had ever been this awkward between them and he had to supress the grimace that threatened to break through.

Not long after both men sat down, Sakura entered the room, carrying a tray with three steaming cups which she carefully placed down on the low coffee table. She chose the armchair across from the couch both men sat on and held her cup of tea in both hands.

She took a deep breath and released it slowly before she said, "Sasuke-kun and I – we have discussed your offer."

Naruto nodded silently; his own hands clenched tightly around his cup. He barely took notice of the fact that his skin became unbearably hot due to the scalding hot drink.

"Before we continue, I'm going to ask you again: are you sure you want to be our surrogate, Naruto-kun?" Her forehead wrinkled in worry and her soft green eyes looked at him concerned.

"Yes, I'm sure, Sakura-chan," Naruto said and confidence rang clearly through his voice. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure."

"A lot will change, Naruto," Sasuke said abruptly and leant forwards, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together, as he gazed intently at his blond friend. He hadn't even touched his tea so far. "You will change," he added and frowned.

"I know that, Sasuke," Naruto retorted patiently and forced himself to relax his grip on the cup. "I did my research, you know," he huffed, slightly annoyed.

Sakura glanced between them. "If you're really sure about it, then we'd like to take you up on your offer." Her cheeks were tinted a light pink and she bit her lip; the whiteness of her teeth a sharp contrast with her pink lipstick.

Naruto gawked in disbelief; wide, blue eyes flickering rapidly between Sasuke and Sakura. "Are you serious?" he questioned surprised.

Sasuke scoffed and finally took a sip from his tea. "We wouldn't say yes, if we weren't serious," he snipped and scowled.

This particular scowl lacked the usual heat, though, and Naruto realised with a start that Sasuke was nervous.

Before he could further contemplate this unpreceded situation, Sakura continued in a wavering voice. "Okay, now that that is decided, let's discuss how this is going to progress." She sounded both exhilarated and nervous.

Naruto nodded, swallowing as his heart skipped a beat. This was it then. He would carry Sasuke's child soon; he would be a surrogate for his friends.

"Have you been keeping track of your temperature?" Sakura asked briskly; some of her nurse personality leaking through.

"Yes, but so far nothing has changed," Naruto admitted and rubbed the back of his neck. "I think it's going to happen next week."

She nodded; a contemplative frown etched into her forehead. "I did some reading and your fertile days," she blushed slightly, while the blond turned red, "should last between three to five days. I want you to just keep track of it this month, see how long it lasts for you, Naruto-kun."

"And then next month …?" he trailed off, feeling his cheeks heat up. Well, this was quite awkward to discuss.

"Next month we'll have sex then," Sasuke stated flatly and his face was completely blank, leaving the blond to wonder what his friend was really thinking about this. "I assume we'll have to sleep together for however long his fertile days last."

It wasn't exactly a question, but Sakura treated it as such. "Yes, it's best to have sex as long as his fertility peaks. Only doing it once would be pushing our luck."

"How long do you think it will take before he's pregnant?" Sasuke asked brusquely; something stirring in his eyes.

She bit her lip and replied, "According to the research it shouldn't take longer than two months at most. The majority of the men became pregnant after only a couple of days trying."

Naruto remembered reading about that in one of his magazines. Men with this particular infliction had a higher success rate than most women; researchers were still figuring out why the fertility of these men was so high. The blond man wasn't really interested in the reason; all that he cared about was the fact that it shouldn't take long for him to get pregnant.

Cerulean blue eyes flicked towards his stomach; if everything went according to plan, he should already be carrying a child in December.

That realisation made something squirm in him and he practically gulped down his tea to drown the odd feeling.

"Naruto-kun, there are a couple of other things we need to discuss."

He blinked as Sakura's voice broke through his thoughts. "Which things?" he questioned curiously. What other things could they possibly discuss?

"Well, the check-ups for example," Sakura answered and smiled faintly. "You'll need regular check-ups once you're pregnant and Tsunade-sensei has agreed to be your doctor."

He blanched at the mention of the busty, blonde haired doctor, who had a penance for gambling and sake and a punch so powerful she could knock someone out for hours.

"You asked that old hag?" he squeaked horrified and his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. "Do you want me to die, Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke snorted and Naruto glowered at him, resisting the urge to punch his arm.

Sakura rolled her eyes and huffed, crossing her arms. "Don't be such a baby!" she retorted exasperatedly. "You know Tsunade-sensei is one of the best doctors in the country. You'll receive the best care from her."

"She's also violent and impatient," Naruto pointed out, grumbling. "Shit!" His hand shot out to rub the throbbing spot on his arm where Sakura had punched him harshly.

"Then don't provoke her," she smiled sweetly, but the fire in her eyes was a clear warning.

"And we'll be paying for your medical expenses," Sasuke added idly, as if it was merely an afterthought.

Naruto abruptly turned his head to face him and gawked. "What do …"

"Naruto, those check-ups aren't cheap," the dark haired man said impatiently. "You don't have to carry a baby for us, so let me pay for those check-ups."

Begrudgingly Naruto sank down again in the couch. Sasuke was right of course; the examinations would be quite expensive and the blond didn't have that kind of money. It also made sense that his friends would pay for it, considering he was merely the surrogate.

"One of us will also accompany you during these check-ups," Sakura continued. "We're going to try to have the both of us accompany you, but unfortunately that will depend on our schedules." She suddenly beamed and smiled brightly. "Of course once you're in labour, we'll both be there for sure, no matter what our schedules say! We don't want to miss that!"

"Any questions?" Sasuke asked, placing his cup on the table.

"Eh." Naruto's mind was blank for a moment until a thought flitted through his brain and he blurted it out before he could stop himself, "Did you tell your parents about this?" Almost instantly he winced as he realised the can of worms he had just thoughtlessly opened.

The temperature in the room seemed to lower with a couple of degrees.

"I'm sorry; forget what …"

"My parents are okay with it," Sakura smiled weakly. "They are just happy that we will still have a child, even if the means are somewhat … unconventional."

"Mother doesn't mind," Sasuke replied abruptly and his shoulders visibly tensed up. "She's planning on thanking you for doing this for us."

Naruto didn't want to ask, but his treacherous mouth betrayed him once more. "And your dad?"

He really didn't know when to shut up, did he?

The room's temperature was definitely reaching North Pole level now.

"Father …" Sasuke visibly struggled; the corners of his mouth turned up, but it was all teeth, sharp and vicious. His glare deepened and he rolled his shoulders slowly, breathing out noisily. "Not particularly happy with it. Mother said he needs time."

Naruto's gaze dropped down to his lap and his fingers tugged at his sleeves. Sadly that particular reaction of the older Uchiha didn't surprise him. He hoped for Sasuke's sake that Mikoto would manage to convince Fugaku that this was the best way to get a grandchild. The blond did resolve quietly to not enter the Uchiha Manson for at least a couple of months; no need to fuel Fugaku's ire even more.

"All right, do you still have any questions?" Sakura asked; her tone forced to sound lightly.

Silently Naruto shook his head; all the important questions had been taken care of as far as he was concerned.

She clapped her hands and a look of relief crossed her face before she rose up from her seat and walked over to Naruto, grabbing him tightly around his shoulders. Her pink hair tickled his cheek as she muttered, "Thank you so much for doing this for us, Naruto-kun. You have no idea how much this means to us."

Aware of the heavy, dark gaze on them, Naruto smiled faintly and returned the hug. "Don't mention it," he murmured.

After all what were friends for?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: The next chapter will be significantly longer - as in more than 5K long *coughs*
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> See you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: As mentioned before this particular chapter is somewhat longer than the others LOL I hadn't realised just how long it had become until I finished it and looked it over ^^;
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and the comments! I really appreciate them :) And I'm quite happy that this story reached 100 kudos already :D
> 
> Warnings: some angst; mature content; time skip
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like this chapter!

_Chapter 5_

"So it will happen on Friday," Gaara said flatly and he narrowed his eyes a bit.

Naruto licked his lips and nodded, bobbing his left foot up and down nervously. "Yeah, my peak is at the end of the month, so." Half-heartedly he shrugged and took a sip of his orange flavoured tea.

After keeping track of his temperature for a whole month, he had discovered that his fertility level peaked for four days at the end of the month.

With that in mind, he and Sakura had figured out when his next peak would be, so that Sasuke would know when to keep his schedule free. If their calculations were correct, then Friday would be the first day of his peak.

Naruto still kept track of his temperature, just to be certain, but there was no reason to doubt Sakura's calculations.

"At your place?" the red haired man asked bluntly.

Naruto nearly choked in his tea and gasped out, "Wh-what the hell, Gaara?"

His friend shrugged and offered a bland look. "Just want to know whether it's safe to visit or not."

"Oh my god," Naruto groaned embarrassed and buried his face in his hands; his cheeks feeling burning hot against his skin. "Yes, it's going to happen at my place."

Gaara blinked. "Why not his place?"

He seemed hell bent on embarrassing the hell out of Naruto today.

The blond lifted his head from his hands and glanced away; his cheeks on fire now. He probably resembled a tomato.

"Because it would be weird, okay," he huffed defensively.

Sasuke's bed was most likely more comfortable than his own lumpy, small one, but the idea of sleeping with Sasuke in the same bed he shared with his wife freaked Naruto out. He didn't think he would ever be able to look Sakura right in the eyes again if he had sex with her husband in their bed.

That was just … no. Just no.

"Are you going to be okay?" Gaara asked softly and worry lurked deeply in his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Naruto questioned confused.

A dark red eyebrow rose up. "It's not every day you're going to sleep with your friend to carry his child."

Was Naruto just imagining the odd infliction Gaara had put on the word 'friend'? He shifted uncomfortably on the black, leather couch. He had never told anyone that he had feelings for Sasuke; it would have brought problems for him. His friends weren't gossipers, but he still didn't want to take any risks. Gaara, however, had always been very perceptive – even more than Sasuke. It wouldn't be that farfetched to think that his friend had picked up his feelings for Sasuke. Embarrassing as fuck and even quite shameful, but not farfetched.

He wasn't going to admit it before Gaara breached the topic, though.

"I'll be fine," he replied dismissively. Before the other man could continue questioning him, he hastily said, "So I've heard that Temari-san is back with Shikamaru?"

Gaara narrowed his eyes slightly – the look on his face conveying that he knew Naruto was trying to distract him – but relented and grunted in affirmation. "More like she bullied him into getting back together with her."

Naruto chuckled and the next few hours flew by with exchanging stories about their friends before the blond returned home.

* * *

' _I'm on my way'_

That simple message sent Naruto's heart skyrocketing and he froze, staring down at his cell phone like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

"Fuck," he muttered and ran his hands through his hair; a surge of panic causing him to pull on some locks, the slight sting barely penetrating through the haze of panic.

This was it then. In just an hour he would have sex for the first time with Sasuke. This would be their first attempt at impregnating him.

Fidgeting, he cast another look at his bedroom and heaved a sigh; his stomach clenching in response to the nerves spreading through his system. After having taught his last class, he had gone home immediately and had cleaned up his bedroom. His dirty laundry was put in a basket; his desk put to order; the futon aired out … He had even changed the sheets. Next to the futon, an unopened bottle of lubrication was waiting to be used and he released a strangled sound as the question whether or not he should prepare himself in advance suddenly shot through his head.

How awkward would it be if Sasuke was the one who prepared him? Would Sasuke even be willing to prepare him? Which also begged the question: would they even have foreplay?

He stilled and rubbed the back of his neck, worrying his lower lip between his teeth. In his fantasies starring Sasuke – which he had frequently to his utmost shame – his dark haired friend was all too eager to prepare him, but the blond reminded himself that reality stood far apart from his fantasies. For one, in reality they weren't in love with each other – at least Sasuke wasn't.

Maybe – maybe it would be easier if he prepared himself now. That would get rid of at least some of the awkwardness. He hoped.

He lied down on the futon and shoved his sweatpants and underwear down. He twisted the cap off the bottle and poured a liberal amount of the clear, cool, thick fluid on his fingers; deftly ignoring the tremor going through his arm.

Resting his feet on the futon, he raised his legs and let them fall open in a V-shape. Blood thrumming in his veins, he bit his lip and forced himself to relax his inner muscles, a hiss escaping him as he slid one slick finger inside. It had been a while since he last finger fucked himself and he rubbed his rim first, spreading the lubrication, before his hole swallowed his finger completely. He tensed up a bit, having surprised himself with how quickly he had sunk in the first finger, but relaxed again, ignoring the slight burning sensation. Rubbing his finger against his sensitive walls made him shiver and his cock twitched with interest.

One finger was far from enough; Naruto didn't know how gifted his best friend was, but one finger would certainly not be enough. His middle finger joined his index one and his breath left him with a soft 'whoosh'; his blood rushing filled his ears as he tried not to lose himself in the moment. He was preparing himself for Sasuke and not enjoying a wanking session. That didn't stop his mind from conjuring up a fantasy which had him and Sasuke together in the shower, but the blond reasoned that would help speed up his preparation.

Two fingers forced his entrance to stretch more and his inner muscles clamped tightly down around the invasion, drawing the two digits further inside. He rolled his hips slightly as he started to spread his fingers, stretching his entrance wider. His muscles rippled around him as he scissored his fingers and he muffled a moan when the tips of his fingers accidentally grazed his prostate. The urge to keep touching that spot and blow his load now was big, but he forced himself to stop continuing thrusting against his sweet spot.

Thrusting his fingers inside once, twice, thrice more, he eventually pulled them out, leaving his entrance stretched and empty.

Naruto eventually deemed himself prepared enough and withdrew his fingers completely, leaving him feeling empty. He swallowed heavily and squirmed at the sensation of emptiness, annoyed by it.

He almost fell off the futon from shock when his ears registered the familiar sound of Sasuke's Mercedes approaching his apartment building.

"Shit!" Flailing around gracelessly, he hastily slipped his sweatpants back on and stumbled to the door, praying that he didn't look as red as he felt.

Wait, had he put the cap back on the bottle?

Before he could bolt to his room again, Sasuke knocked loudly on the door; the sound seemed to echo through his entire apartment.

Feeling as though he had been caught doing something wrong, Naruto hesitatingly opened the door.

Sasuke was still wearing his business attire – including his briefcase, the blond noted dumbfounded.

"Are you going to let me in or not?" Sasuke asked impatiently; a faint scowl marring his face.

Somewhere there was a dirty joke to be found in his inquiry, but Naruto merely stepped aside, distracted by the sight of the charcoal grey suit.

"Why are you still dressed like that?" he asked curiously, waving offhandedly at the suit. "Didn't you change at your place?"

Sasuke dropped the briefcase next to the couch and placed his jacket neatly over the arm of the chair. "I didn't go home," he replied and raised an eyebrow. "I drove here from work."

The blond cocked his head to the right and rubbed his right ankle with his left foot. "Have you called Sakura-chan to let her know that you'll be home later then?"

"She isn't home; she had to leave for a conference this morning," Sasuke informed him idly, loosening his tie. "She'll be back next Wednesday."

"She didn't mention she had a conference," Naruto muttered faintly; his heart summersaulted in his chest. If Sakura wouldn't be home for nearly a week, would Sasuke stay here then? They had done that before – but back then they weren't planning to have sex.

Tension coiled inside his stomach like a slumbering snake and he wasn't certain whether he wanted Sasuke to stay.

Well, he did want that – he just wasn't certain whether him staying would be a good idea.

The dark haired man shrugged. "It was rather last minute. One of her colleagues is sick and she has to replace her."

"Ah," Naruto muttered and scratched his left arm nervously.

Somehow the news of Sakura's whereabouts made him tense up, his stomach contracting and seemingly flipping around. He didn't know why the news unsettled him. Maybe it was because she acted like some kind of barrier: a reminder that Naruto wasn't anything more than a best friend and currently their surrogate.

With Sakura out of town – how would the evening end?

"Are you okay?" Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows and removed his tie. "You don't look so good."

"Talk about flattering," Naruto snorted and briskly shook his head to clear his mind, ignoring the scowl the dark haired man directed at him. "I'm fine, just … Let's start, okay?" He breathed out noisily and took a step towards his bedroom, beckoning his friend with a jerky nod.

Fuck, he had thought he had experienced the worst case of nerves during his job interviews, but this situation was at least a hundred times worse.

He had also severely underestimated the awkwardness that would arise when he closed the door behind them. It was silly to close this particular door when they were the only ones in his apartment, but he was too frazzled to really think about it.

Taking a deep breath – though that did nothing to steady himself – he turned to face Sasuke, who was regarding him with an unreadable look.

"So, let's just – gettheseoff," Naruto rushed through the last part of the sentence and whipped off his shirt, dropping it on the floor. With trembling fingers he undid the knot in the strings of his sweatpants and shoved them down, letting the fabric pool around his bare feet.

His hands lingered at the waistband of his boxers before he dropped them, releasing a shuddering breath. He knew they would have to come off at some point, but an inexplicably shyness suddenly overtook him and he couldn't bring himself to take them off just yet.

When he looked up, he discovered Sasuke seated casually on the futon. Still in his shirt and black trousers.

"Eh, why are you still dressed?" Naruto questioned, a tad nervous.

"Just watching the show," Sasuke answered dryly; his eyes flickering over Naruto's body with an unreadable look.

"Just – shut up and get rid of your clothes," the blond huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Dark eyes rolled, but Sasuke unbuttoned his shirt; slender fingers dancing over the buttons. After shrugging it off and carelessly dumping it on the floor, he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers, standing up to let them pool around his ankles.

All this was done with a blank face and Naruto shifted his weight from one leg to the other, feeling inexplicably unsettled. It felt like he was intruding on his best friend and he gnawed at his lower lip.

"Ready." Sasuke sounded impatient and when Naruto turned back to look at him – and when had he looked away? – his cheeks abruptly felt like they were on fire and a strangled sound left him as he stared right at a completely naked Sasuke.

His best friend was all sinewy muscles and sculpted abs. The streetlight cast a faint orange glow on the expanse of pale skin. His entire form radiated tension as the dark haired man stood still under Naruto's scrutiny.

"Done gawking?" A thin eyebrow was raised sardonically.

Naruto spluttered, barely able to tear his gaze off of the older man's body. His imagination hadn't done Sasuke justice, clearly. "I just hadn't expected you to get naked immediately!"

"Getting naked is kind of required for this," Sasuke remarked and gave Naruto the by now well known 'Are you an idiot?' look.

"I know that," Naruto groaned and rubbed his face with his hands. "I just didn't - "

"Well, get on with it then," Sasuke sighed and sank back down on the futon. "Let's get this over with."

That … kind of stung. Naruto knew that realistically the chance of Sasuke being interested in him was slim to none, but … A small part of him had clung to the hope that his friend would at least show some interest. At the very least he had hoped that Sasuke wouldn't be completely apathetic.

He should have known better.

"Right," Naruto muttered and reminded himself that he was doing this for his best friends. Not for himself. He was merely a means to an end. It would do him well to keep that in mind, before he let himself be swept away.

He took a deep breath, hooked his thumbs underneath the elastic waistband of his underwear and pulled it down. Stepping out of it, he left it discarded on the floor next to his pile of clothes and made his way to the futon. He sat down next to Sasuke and a shock not unlike the one he got from static electricity went through him when their bare skin touched.

"So how do you want to do it?" Naruto questioned, clasping his hands around his raised knee; barely able to keep himself from bouncing his other leg. It didn't escape his notice that Sasuke had tensed up at his touch.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. "I – suppose you need to be prepared?" He looked a bit uncomfortable and shifted restlessly.

Naruto licked his lips and, staring down at the sheets, he admitted, "That's – that's not necessary." He cleared his throat and continued with flushing cheeks, "I, eh, I prepared myself before you arrived."

Surprise crossed Sasuke's face and his eyes glanced down quickly before he looked away just as fast.

"Then I guess we can start," he muttered, still looking away.

"Right."

Cue awkward silence.

Naruto wanted to reach out, touch, but he was uncertain of how his touch would be received.

"Relaxing is a good start," Naruto joked feebly and Sasuke's fingers twitched. "Let's … Come. You can – here." Before Sasuke could pull away, the younger man snatched his hands and placed one on his left side and the other right above his bellybutton. "You can touch me, you know."

"I know." Sasuke scowled and regarded his hands with wary curiosity.

Nerves running rampant, Naruto hesitatingly reached out and ran his hand from Sasuke's right shoulder to his firm stomach, brushing over his nipple. He felt Sasuke tense up underneath his touch and his hand stilled as he warily studied Sasuke's face.

"Is – is this okay?" Naruto inquired, feeling awkward.

"I …" Sasuke frowned heavily and appeared to contemplate something as he stared – practically scowled – at the blond's chest.

Naruto flushed underneath the intense scrutiny and cleared his throat. "I just – I thought we could ease into it, you know? Make it easier?" He shrugged half-heartedly, but his heart was beating madly in his chest. He was hyper aware of Sasuke's proximity; the nerves in his hand tingled at the unexpected softness of Sasuke's skin. The contrast between the smooth, soft skin and the firm muscles right underneath was intriguing.

"It just … feels weird," Sasuke mumbled and cleared his throat. "But it's not like there's another way, so let's do this."

Sasuke sure knew how to make a guy feel special.

"Right," Naruto smiled, a bit strained.

Hands, smoother than he had expected, started exploring his chest and stomach tentatively. Thumbs brushed circles around his nipples, not actually touching them, before fingers slipped down to his stomach.

There was a brief pause and then slender digits traced the intricate design of his tattoo thoughtfully. The soft touch awakened something in Naruto and he swallowed; the sound too loud in the quiet room. It drew the attention of inquiring black eyes and the blond man offered a quick smile, before dropping his eyes on the expanse of pale skin, stretched tautly over firm muscles; determined to avoid the heavy gaze.

Still, being subjected to the scrutiny of those intense dark eyes made his heart flutter and his abdominal muscles contract and he hastily started running his hands – rougher than Sasuke's – over his friend's chest; caressing and stroking and exploring every inch of skin he discovered.

The sensation of skin as smooth as silk against his fingertips, the way muscles shifted and contracted and tensed underneath his touch … It made Naruto's breathing speed up and heat started to spread from his stomach to the rest of his body until even his toes tingled.

He became bolder, sweeping his hands more confidently over Sasuke's chest and back, tracing his spine lightly – earning him a scowl as the older man shivered – before going back to the front as a pair of slender but deceptively strong hands mapped out his own torso hesitatingly.

Touching each other like this, it was easy to get immersed in the situation, to forget why they were doing this. To imagine it was just _them_.

So caught up in the moment, it felt like a bucket of ice was abruptly thrown over him when his hands slipped down and instead of feeling Sasuke's hard cock pulsing, he was met with a limp dick which barely stirred when his fingers closed around it.

The haze he had fallen into was abruptly shattered and Naruto yanked his hand back; hot shame instantly filling him.

What had he expected? Of course Sasuke wouldn't react, he was completely straight! He was used to curves and soft skin, not flatness and rough skin.

Fuck, he was such an idiot! What the hell had he been thinking? Completely mortified, Naruto stared down at his own flushed cock which seemed to mock him. It didn't take long for him to become limp as well as shame set his body on fire.

_So fucking stupid._

"Sorry," Sasuke broke the silence tersely. His jaw was clenched and he looked resolutely away. "I just … I'm not used to …"

"Yeah, I get it," Naruto cut him off and ran a hand through his hair. His stomach turned and he desperately hoped he wasn't going to throw up. He already felt humiliated enough. He knew Sasuke didn't mean it personally, but it was hard to not take his reaction – or more accurately his lack thereof – as a personal rejection.

"How are we …" Naruto trailed off, not wanting to piss off his friend, and an awkward silence descended between them.

The blond man fidgeted, rubbed his hands over his cheeks and stared at the futon; all too aware of the tense body radiating heat next to him. What were they supposed to do now? Without a reaction from Sasuke they couldn't proceed.

Maybe they should put it off until next month, but something told Naruto it wouldn't go better then either.

Doing it the medical way, through insemination, wouldn't work either.

The fact was that Sasuke couldn't get it up because Naruto was a _man._ No amount of waiting would fix that issue. It wasn't as if he could temporarily change into a woman after all.

Blue eyes travelled listlessly through the room, wondering what they could do now. How were they supposed to –

He stilled when his scarf caught his attention. It was thrown on top of a pile of books in the left corner. An idea formed in his mind and it was so ridiculous that he wanted to discard it, but it was their only solution. It would have to work.

"I – I think I have an idea," Naruto broke the heavy silence and swallowed, his cheeks prickling with heat. "I could – use my scarf as a blindfold and tie it around your eyes."

"What the fuck?" Sasuke barked and he whipped his head around to stare at the blond incredulously.

"It could work!" Naruto defended himself. "Maybe if you can't look at me, it will be easier."

"Naruto," Sasuke growled, his hands balling into fists on his thighs.

"Do you have a better idea?" the blond snapped; nerves high strung.

Sasuke glared, but remained silent.

"Thought so," Naruto muttered and rose up from the futon, padding over to the scarf. He snatched it off the books and returned to his friend, who was waiting tersely.

"Can I?" Naruto gripped the scarf tightly and looked questioningly at the older man.

Silently Sasuke bowed his head and allowed the blond to tie the makeshift blindfold around his eyes. The younger man fumbled with the cloth a bit longer, making sure that it wouldn't be too snug, but not too loose either. He stepped back and held three fingers in front of Sasuke.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" he asked, wanting to check just how much Sasuke could still see through the blindfold.

"None if you insist on asking stupid questions," Sasuke growled, clearly upset by the loss of his vision.

Blue eyes rolled exasperatedly and some of the tension drained out of the blond's body. "It wouldn't hurt you to answer, bastard."

"I don't know, two or so?" Sasuke huffed impatiently.

"Good enough," Naruto muttered and bit his lip. "Lie down."

For a moment it looked like the dark haired man would refuse simply to be contrary, but then he uttered a soft sigh and crawled backwards on the futon, so that he could lie down properly.

"Okay," Naruto whispered and his nerves worsened again. He licked his lips and hesitatingly sank down next to the pale man. "Just, you know, think about something else or so."

"A bit difficult to do that," Sasuke grumbled, but he only tensed slightly when Naruto shuffled closer and touched his stomach carefully.

He had to get Sasuke hard for this to work; would the same touches work now that the man could no longer see him? Maybe he would pretend it was –

Naruto shook his head and, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through him, he drew circles around Sasuke's bellybutton with one finger, watching how goose bumps formed on the pale skin. Not wanting to make Sasuke too ticklish, he made his caresses firmer, stroking his sides and thumbing at his nipples, watching them harden underneath his touch.

Sasuke shifted his legs restlessly, but didn't try to kick him away or push him off, so Naruto took that as a positive sign. His hands travelled downwards again, paying attention to the lower stomach area and slender fingers twitched in the blanket, before they stilled.

Still, the blond had noticed the miniscule move and softly caressed Sasuke's hipbones, feeling the hard bone underneath his thumbs. His hands travelled lower, skipping Sasuke's groin for now, and focused on the strong muscles in firm thighs which tensed and relaxed quickly, as if the older man wasn't entirely sure whether he liked the touch.

His fingers dug into strong thighs, the skin blooming a soft red before turning pale again, and he caressed and stroked the lower legs; his own heart thudding madly in his chest.

A soft sigh escaped his friend and Naruto's head shot up at the sound. Sasuke was breathing a bit deeper now and when Naruto's fingers danced across a particular spot right underneath Sasuke's left knee, he noticed the light twitch Sasuke's cock gave.

Heartened by the sight – so the blindfold was working! – Naruto brought his hands back up, nearing Sasuke's groin now.

_Everything would be so much easier if we could kiss_ , Naruto thought, a tad miserable, a tad resentful. He knew he wasn't bad in bed; his previous partners certainly had never complained about his skills.

He had always liked kissing, liked driving his partners mad with his tongue and lips; it was an essential part in love making if you asked him.

But they couldn't kiss. This wasn't romantic, this wasn't for fun. Sasuke was married and they were doing this solely to get a baby out of it. He couldn't let himself forget that.

Roughly shaking his head – this was so not the time to get melancholic about this – he took a deep breath – whether to steady or prepare himself, he didn't know – and slowly, agonizingly slow, wrapped his hand around Sasuke's dick, wanting to coax it fully to life.

They both froze and there was a frown starting to pull down Sasuke's mouth before Naruto started moving his hand up and down, his thumb flicking over the head, which slowly became slick, while his other one drew nonsensical circles and shapes across Sasuke's chest and stomach. The blond hadn't realised how tense he had become until his shoulders slumped when he felt his friend responding to his touch. He had to shift a bit, kneeling on Sasuke's left side in order not to let either one of his hands slip, but he figured it out and before too long he finally got to hear Sasuke enjoying himself.

It started out with soft, almost inaudible sighs, little puffs that escaped him. The rustling of his hair against the futon and the restless shivering of his legs and arms against the blanket. A rose flush coloured his sharp cheekbones and pale rose lips parted. His chest rose up and down quicker than before and there was a faint sheen of sweat coating his skin.

No words were exchanged between them when Naruto eventually decided they were ready and he removed his hand, coaxing an unwilling whine out of the other man. Quickly he slathered some lubrication on Sasuke's cock and reapplied some to his entrance, slicking it up again.

_Now or never_ , he thought and swallowed down a hysterical chuckle as he swung his left leg over Sasuke's hips, so that he ended up straddling the dark haired man.

For one brief moment it was as if they were suspended in time, both of them tense.

Then Naruto sank down, piercing himself open on his friend's erection, his hands on Sasuke's chest to balance himself, and he bit down savagely on his lower lip to keep any sounds from escaping. They had come so far already, it wouldn't do to rip Sasuke out of the trance he had fallen in.

He did have to pause for a few seconds to get used to the sensation of intrusion again and Sasuke hissed, his teeth glinting in the faint light pouring into the room. Naruto grimaced, unwillingly clenching his muscles tighter which led to Sasuke groaning so lowly the blond could have dismissed the sound as something happening outside. Sasuke was definitely bigger than he had anticipated, _felt_ even bigger than in his hand, and it was literally a tight fit. He focused on his breathing, pushing his body to relax. He couldn't wait too long, but he didn't want to risk hurting himself either. This wasn't the only evening they had to spend together after all.

When he was relatively certain he would be able to move without hurting, he slowly rose up, bracing himself against Sasuke's shoulders and sank down again, pressing his lips tightly together to prevent any sound from leaving him. He set a slow, but deep rhythm, and felt himself stirring in interest when a particular push downwards caused Sasuke to hit a hidden spot. Well, there was no law that said he couldn't enjoy himself a bit, right?

Guilt simmering in the back of his mind, he tentatively allowed himself to enjoy the rocking, the smooth skin slick with sweat, muscles bunching and tensing underneath his touch; the way Sasuke's cock brushed teasingly against his prostate with every second thrust down. Their breathing was laboured, puncturing through the silence in the room and the occasional stifled moan left his friend, gritted through clenched teeth as if he didn't want to hear the sounds.

He probably didn't, come to think of it.

There was heat burning and spreading in his lower belly and his nerves tingled and sang with pleasure. He started moving quicker, chasing his elusive climax and was aware of strong legs tensing underneath his thighs; Sasuke's hips rising up to meet his thrusts, forcing his cock to go deeper. A groan bubbled in his throat, desperate to be released, as Sasuke kept jabbing his sweet spot and he instantly bit down on his right hand to shut up; the effort of keeping silent and the rhythm tiring him out quicker than expected. His thighs were trembling, the muscles in his calves strained, and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep going for much longer.

Then he exploded, white light filling his vision as he gasped; his hand snapping down to cover himself, catching his spunk, as he thought vaguely, stupidly, that Sasuke wouldn't appreciate being soaked by him.

Sasuke strained against him, little gasps escaping him, and hands shot out to grasp Naruto's hips tightly, making the blond wince as the pain pricked through the pleasured daze he had fallen in. He shivered when he felt something hot filling him, coating his inner walls, and then Sasuke sagged back down on the futon; black strands of hair plastered against his sweaty forehead, cheeks tinted a heavy rose.

Awareness flooded back into him like a bucket of cold water being dumped on him when a pale hand rose up and pushed the blindfold away. A sudden surge of panic and Naruto stumbled up right, wincing at the sensation of emptiness and the instant coldness now that he no longer felt Sasuke's skin against his own.

"I – I'm – going to take a shower," he stammered and hurried to the tiny bathroom as quick as he could, trying to ignore the ache spreading out in his lower back like a steadily growing fire.

The warm water didn't do anything to reduce the shivers which wrecked his body and he reluctantly shut the water off after ten minutes, figuring he was as clean as he was going to get now. That and Sasuke would probably want to take a shower as well and he couldn't take up all the hot water – even if this was his own apartment.

Sasuke was sitting up, his dark eyes unreadable when Naruto entered the room again. He was wearing his underwear again and the blindfold had been thrown near the wall.

"Shower's free," Naruto offered weakly, rubbing over the bridge of his nose. There was an awkward atmosphere hanging between them which grew heavier with every second that passed.

"Thanks," Sasuke muttered at long last and his shoulder brushed briefly against Naruto's when he walked past him on his way to the bathroom.

Gnawing on his lower lip, Naruto surveyed the futon carefully. All by all the damage was minimal; they had never been underneath the sheets, so the futon itself was fine. He did exchange the sheets quickly with new ones, dumping the crumpled ones in the furthest corner away from the futon.

His ears picked up the sound of the shower being shut off and in a sudden fit of panic, he practically jumped on the futon, sliding underneath the sheets and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. He didn't know what Sasuke was planning to do now; would he stay or go home? Either way, it would be too awkward to talk to his friend now after – after what they had done.

He wasn't proud of acting like a coward, but he couldn't handle any sort of confrontation now. Not tonight. Not after what they had just done.

Heart beating madly, he inhaled and exhaled deeply, hoping it would be enough to fool Sasuke.

Feet padded their way over to the futon and halted behind him. "Really?" Sasuke sighed and clucked his tongue annoyed. "Should have known you would fall asleep fast."

There was a long moment when the other man didn't move and it took everything in Naruto not to freeze up and betray himself. His heartbeat was absurdly loud in his ears; so loud he wondered how it was possible the dark haired man couldn't hear it.

Sasuke tsk'd and then the futon dipped when he lowered himself next to Naruto, snatching a part of the sheets for himself. The vague noise of traffic in the distance filled the room until it was accompanied by the slow breathing of Sasuke next to him, indicating his best friend had fallen asleep.

Blue eyes opened, catching the light streaming inside from the moon, and a faint smile spread across his lips. A sliver of hope worked its way through him. Maybe Sasuke wasn't too bothered by sleeping with him after all.

If he was, surely he wouldn't go to sleep next to Naruto, right?

* * *

When Naruto woke up the next morning, Sasuke was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I think this is the first time I've written such an awkward scene *blinks* Couldn't really be helped given the context.
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> I'll see you all back on the second of June!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Can I say that I'm overwhelmed with the reviews I've received for the past chapter? O_O I'm definitely not complaining, though! In fact I welcome them eagerly LOL
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: morning after; angst (but do I still need to mention that particular tag in this story? *coughs*)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 6_

In spite of having been too cowardly the night before, it still stung the blond man to wake up alone; the side where Sasuke had slept cold to the touch.

Sitting up, Naruto became angry with himself, scowling down at his clenched fists. What had he expected, really? That Sasuke would have stayed for breakfast? Stupid!

Well, he had done that before, he amended, recalling vividly all those nights they had spent together because they were either too tired or drunk. So no, it wasn't really strange for him to have expected Sasuke to still be here when he woke up.

Then again those previous 'sleepovers' had never involved them having sex – no matter how much Naruto had wished that had been the case – so maybe it was for the best Sasuke wasn't here anymore.

A humourless chuckle left him and he shook his head, disappointed in himself; a feeling he was all too well acquainted with.

"Get yourself together," he whispered harshly, shivering absentmindedly when a cold draft blew through a crack near the window. "If you couldn't handle it, you shouldn't have offered."

But he had and now here he was. Possibly already pregnant, possibly not. He would only know that for certain when he took the test in a month. He had wanted to take it sooner, but Sakura had advised him to wait for a month, just to be on the safe side.

_Sakura …_

Guilt hit him like a punch in the stomach and his breathing hitched as nausea churned his stomach. He had slept with her husband, fuck. How was he supposed to look her in the eye next time they met?

_She agreed to it_ , he reminded himself. _She knew what needed to happen and she agreed to it. There's no need to feel guilty about it._

But he did feel guilty. Perhaps it was irrational, because it wasn't as if they had gone behind her back about it. They all knew what needed to happen in order for a child to exist, but the weight of what he had done last night pressed down on him heavily all of a sudden.

He had slept with his best friend, shit. A man who was married and who wouldn't have looked twice at him if he hadn't wanted a baby.

Blue eyes landed on the discarded scarf, the one they had had to use in order to trick Sasuke into getting it up and that was it.

He landed on his knees in front of the toilet bowl right in time for his dinner to come up violently; the sound of retching echoing through the small bathroom as his throat burned and his stomach churned with sickening nausea.

He had experienced better ways to wake up after sex, that was for sure.

* * *

' _Can I come over?'_

Naruto gnawed on his lower lip, staring at the text, as he stumbled into his kitchen, doing his best to ignore the throbbing ache in his lower back. His phone had buzzed with an incoming message right before he had left the shower and for a few seconds he had held the ridiculous hope that it was a text from Sasuke.

It wasn't. Gaara had texted him.

Maybe it was for the best, he consoled himself as he ambled towards the counter to make some coffee. He still didn't know how to act around Sasuke now that they had slept together, so a few hours without contact with the dark haired man would probably be good.

' _Yeah'_ , he sent back after a short bout of contemplation. If he was alone for the entire day, he would probably go stir crazy with worry about how he was supposed to act tonight – when they had to sleep together again. Having company for at least a little while would do him some good.

' _I'll be there in twenty minutes.'_

Naruto placed his phone on the counter and grabbed his mug, dropping some sugar cubes in it as he waited for his coffee to be ready. He probably should eat something, but his stomach felt all twisted up and he wasn't sure whether he would be able to keep anything down right now. Maybe in a little while.

He breathed out noisily and ran a hand through his damp hair; his gaze absentmindedly roaming across the room until they caught sight of a yellow post-it stuck on his refrigerator. Cocking his head, he abandoned his mug for the moment and went to check out the note as he couldn't recall having written anything down on a post-it.

' _Left for work. Will be back around six.'_

It wasn't signed, but there was no need for that as Naruto knew who had left the message for him. It could only be Sasuke after all and he worried his lower lip between his teeth. He hadn't expected a note from his friend, but it was … thoughtful he supposed. At least now he knew when he could expect the dark haired man to be back at his place.

His stomach flipped funnily and he turned around at the sound of the sharp 'click' announcing his coffee was ready. It was currently nearly nine o'clock, so that gave him around nine hours to fill before Sasuke would be back for round two.

A hysterical chuckle escaped him before he could stop himself and he clamped his mouth shut, focusing on filling his mug with the black coffee. Would they need the – no, don't think about that now.

A knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts and he hurried to open it, slowing down a bit when his back protested.

Intense green eyes studied him when he swung the door open and Gaara silently held up a dark brown paper bag with the logo of the local coffee shop. The delicious smell of bacon and egg and the sweet scent of pancakes drifted towards the blond man, alerting him to the fact that his friend had stopped on his way to buy breakfast.

"You didn't have to," Naruto muttered, stepping aside to let the other man enter.

Gaara scoffed as he entered, halting briefly to slip off his shoes and take off his jacket before he walked to the kitchen on sock clad feet. "As if you have anything decent in your house for breakfast," he mumbled, scowling at the blue eyed man.

Naruto wanted to protest, but gave up with a huff when he realised that the older man was right. He still needed to go grocery shopping, but had forgotten about it when anxiety about sleeping with Sasuke had taken over. Damn it.

"I can eat after getting groceries," he couldn't stop himself from pointing out even when he followed the red haired man into the kitchen, where his mug was gently steaming. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please," Gaara sighed and placed the bag on the table. "Yes well, you're likely to end up buying mostly junk food if you don't eat breakfast first."

"I would not," Naruto pouted and handed over a white mug filled with black coffee, no sugar or milk, to Gaara.

The other man looked at him judgementally and Naruto scowled before snatching his own mug from the counter and sitting down at the table.

Green eyes regarded him calmly as he opened the bag, releasing the scent of fresh, warm breakfast, and his stomach growled in response. All right, so maybe he could eat something. Ignoring the knowing look thrown in his direction, he took out the napkin wrapped sandwich with bacon and egg and a small, clear box containing a plate with three thick pancakes, topped off generously with maple syrup.

"You want a pancake?" Naruto offered when he realised that the bag didn't contain a second serving.

"No, I ate before I came here," Gaara replied and had already stood up to take a plate and cutlery before Naruto could move so much as an inch.

"Thanks," Naruto muttered and after taking a sip of his coffee, he started attacking his sandwich first; stifling a groan of enjoyment when the flavours burst apart on his tongue. "So, what have you been up to these past few days?"

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Gaara leant back in his chair, one hand wrapped around his mug and replied, "The usual. I'm making some progress with the story."

"Yeah? That's great," Naruto grinned. "Think you'll be finished soon?"

Gaara's insomnia prevented him from taking up a lot of jobs; not many employers were interested in hiring someone who could suddenly fall asleep once their body couldn't handle the lack of rest anymore and shut down. So after going from one place to the next, Gaara had decided to pick up an old hobby of his and started writing stories, polishing the ones he had written when he was younger so they were good enough to get published. So far a collection of short stories had been released, which sold relatively well, and currently he was working on a horror story. He had remained rather tight lipped about it, but Naruto knew he had hit a block for a few weeks now, his muse having left him temporarily.

"I'm nearing the ending," Gaara confirmed, sipping from his coffee.

They talked a bit more about Naruto's job and Kiba's latest failure at flirting with the cashier at the local grocery store. Shikamaru and Temari were back to dating each other and Kankuro was seeing a woman he had recently met in a dance club.

Naruto devoured the sandwich rather quickly and was attacking the second pancake when Gaara asked out of the blue, "So how did it go last night?"

His bite of pancake and syrup got lodged into the wrong pipe of shock and Naruto choked and coughed until he could swallow and breathe again, pounding his own chest. "What the fuck, Gaara?" he stuttered; voice raspy due to the strain the coughing had put it through. First vomiting, then nearly choking – it really wasn't his day, it seemed.

Gaara cocked his head to the right; the look on his face neutral. "What? Just wanted to be sure you're okay."

"Well, as you can see I'm still in one piece," Naruto retorted, grinning weakly as he gestured towards himself.

His grin didn't fool the red haired man at all and green eyes merely looked at him unimpressed. Naruto sighed, slumping back in his chair as he pushed his plate with the remaining one and a half pancake away from him.

"It went as well as could be expected," he muttered, glancing down at the table, tracing meaningless shapes on it.

"Naruto," Gaara sighed, leaning forwards.

"Look, I know what I'm doing, okay?" Naruto said annoyed and shoved his chair backwards, standing up to clean the table and get rid of the trash. "So there's no need to worry."

For a while silence reigned in the small kitchen, only broken by the sounds of paper crinkling and landing in the garbage can and the dishes being done. Stubbornly Naruto kept his back towards his friend, not in the mood to hear another lecture. It wasn't as if he could stop now that they had started the process of conceiving, so another lecture would be a moot point.

"I'm your friend, Naruto," Gaara broke the silence softly and the lingering note of hurt made Naruto pause and guiltily look down at the plate he was drying off. "I just worry about you. Is that a crime?"

"Just, I'll be fine, okay? I promise," Naruto smiled wanly and turned around to face the older man. "It's not like I can go back now, right? I already h-had sex with Sasuke, so …" he trailed off, shrugging stiffly.

Gaara grimaced and rubbed a hand over his face, looking tired. "Yes, I know," he mumbled and his eyes darkened considerably. "Just – if you want to talk about it - "

"I know, thanks," Naruto smiled, putting the plate back into the cupboard. He didn't think he would talk about what had transpired last night – it was too embarrassing; he felt too ashamed – but it was good to know he had a listening ear if he desired to talk.

"Why don't I help you with grocery shopping?" Gaara suggested; a thin veiled attempt to change the subject. "We can watch a movie afterwards or so."

"You don't need to help me." Naruto rolled his eyes; amusement filling him a bit. "Not saying no to the movie, though."

Anything to keep his thoughts off what was going to happen tonight.

"If I don't help you, you're likely to just fill every available space with ramen," Gaara snorted and rose up from his chair.

"I wouldn't!" Naruto protested, but well, Gaara did have a point. Ramen was just so easy to prepare and delicious, though! Not to mention cheap, which was a relief to his wallet.

"Uhuh, right, let's go," Gaara said unimpressed, beckoning the blond man to follow him.

"You're mean, Gaara," Naruto whined, but grabbed his jacket, wallet and keys, pulling on his shoes with a quiet huff before following the red haired man outside.

He did need to go grocery shopping – and having company was better than being alone now.

* * *

"Did you eat?" Naruto questioned, feeling inexplicably nervous again as the dark haired man pulled off his shoes and set down his briefcase.

_It's just Sasuke_ , he scolded himself. _Your best friend, remember? Also the guy you've been in love with for years and who you slept with last night and …_

He cut his own thoughts off hastily; he really, really shouldn't be thinking like that. Especially when Sasuke had made it quite clear yesterday that he was completely straight. He swallowed and tugged at his shirt; the faint buzz of the evening news filtering through the open door of the living room.

Sasuke snorted, straightening up. "When would I have had time to eat? It's only six o'clock and I came straight here from work," he said, rolling his eyes.

He had gone back to his house at some point in the day, though, because Naruto was pretty sure the other man hadn't been wearing that particular shirt last night.

"Well, what about pizza?" Naruto suggested and hoped his voice wasn't trembling as much as he feared it was. Fuck, he really should get a hold on himself. What the hell was wrong with him? "I was thinking of ordering some pizza, but if you don't want to …"

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke replied and shrugged. "I'll eat whatever you have."

"Okay, pizza it is then," Naruto stated, forcing himself to sound cheerfully as he went back to the kitchen to grab the menu of the closest pizzeria. Not that he needed the menu to choose a pizza, but he couldn't be bothered by learning the phone number by heart, so the menu was mainly used to check the number.

As he was waiting for someone in the pizzeria to pick up the phone, he heard Sasuke's phone ringing and his stomach did an odd twist as he wondered whether Sakura was calling his friend.

"What do you want?" Sasuke's rude greeting answered Naruto's question. Whoever it was on the other side of the line, it wasn't Sakura.

"Pizzeria Capoli, good evening," a man greeted Naruto, startling him.

"Ah yes, good evening," he fumbled, shaking his head. "Eh, I like to order one Margherita with extra tomato sauce and one Hawaiian pizza, please."

Sasuke had said he would eat whatever Naruto ate, but he knew the other man would bitch if there wasn't enough tomatoes on it to his liking. He had never understood Sasuke's obsession with tomatoes and had given up on trying to comprehend it.

"Okay, any side dishes?" the pizzeria guy asked and in the background Naruto could hear several people talking loudly and the buzz that came from a full restaurant.

"No, that's it."

"All right. Pick up or delivery?"

"Delivery," Naruto decided after a moment. He didn't have a car to quickly drive over and taking the bus would take far too long. He could send Sasuke, he supposed, because he did have a car, but getting it delivered was just quicker and easier all around.

"Okay, so one Margherita with extra sauce and one Hawaiian pizza, no side dishes," the guy summed up and Naruto confirmed the order. "Cash or card?"

"Cash."

"Your order will be ready in twenty minutes. Can I have your address?"

Naruto gave his address and hung up after the guy told him the total amount he had to pay when the pizzas got delivered. He slipped his phone in his pocket, making a mental note to charge it because the battery was running dangerously low and turned around – only to jump up nearly three feet in the air when he noticed Sasuke standing closely behind him.

"Fuck!" Naruto exclaimed, a hand pressed against his chest where his heart was beating madly. "A little warning would have been nice, jerk!"

A dark eyebrow rose up. "I wasn't exactly sneaking around," Sasuke pointed out exasperatedly and dark eyes followed Naruto sharply as the younger man slipped around him with a huff, making his way to the refrigerator to get some drinks.

"You want something to drink?" Naruto called, head already bent to look into the refrigerator; hand resting on the top of the door. "I went grocery shopping today, so there's more than milk now," he added wryly. "Maybe beer?"

"You can't have beer now," Sasuke instantly retorted and the tone in his voice made it clear he was frowning.

Of all the answers he could give … "Of course I'm not having a beer," Naruto huffed annoyed. He knew better than to drink alcohol when he was trying to become pregnant. He didn't think one single beer would do much harm, but better safe than sorry. "Doesn't mean you can't have one, you know."

Maybe it would loosen him up, so that having sex would be slightly easier tonight.

"Just give me water," Sasuke sighed.

Naruto grabbed a bottle of water and a bottle of soda for himself before closing the refrigerator and turning around to hand over the water to his friend. "I ordered a Margherita and a Hawaiian one," he told him. "They should be here in half an hour normally."

"Okay," Sasuke said simply and accepted the bottle.

"You want to watch some television? There might be a movie on now," Naruto suggested, fiddling with the bottlecap of his soda.

"Sure, not like we can do much while we wait for the pizza to arrive," Sasuke replied, rising up from his stance against the counter.

"Great, let's see what's airing now," the blond man smiled and meant to leave the kitchen by passing Sasuke, but was halted by a hand clamping down around his upper arm. "What?"

"You okay?" Dark eyebrows furrowed as his best friend regarded him with concern lurking in his eyes.

"Yes, I am, why does everyone keep asking me that?" Naruto answered exasperatedly, shaking off Sasuke's grip on his arm. "Let's watch a movie, okay?"

"If you're regretting this," Sasuke started, frown deepening, but the other man interrupted him.

"Then it's already too late, isn't it?" Naruto retorted sharply and pressed his lips together when Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The bottle of soda was placed on the counter and Naruto rubbed his temples with his fingers; weariness pressing down on him. "Look, we can't go back now. We already slept together once," an odd twitch went through Sasuke's body, "and it's stupid to stop now. I'm okay, you don't need to worry about me. Things will be fine."

"I don't want this to change anything between us, Naruto," Sasuke murmured, voice uncharacteristically soft and heavily loaded with something the blond man couldn't identify.

But things had changed. The moment they had slept together for the first time, something had irrevocably changed between them and nothing would ever be the same again; it wouldn't be like before when they had just been best friends and Naruto nursed a secret crush on his friend, knowing he would never get more. Now he knew how it felt like to have sex with Sasuke – even if it had been awkward and uncomfortable and left him feeling ashamed for some reason – and while Sasuke might be able to easily compartmentalise sleeping with his best friend, Naruto had a harder time doing that.

It was his own fault, though. He knew what he had got himself into by making the offer of being a surrogate to his friends and he would have to deal with whatever consequences sprouted out of his decision. If he couldn't handle sleeping with Sasuke to make a baby, he shouldn't have offered.

He could do this. He _would_ do this. At the end of the day he still had Sasuke's friendship, even after their rather awkward bout of sex, and the older man's friendship meant more to him than anything else. He wasn't about to screw up their friendship, just because he couldn't shut down his stupid crush on the other man.

He smiled and squeezed Sasuke's shoulder. "Nothing's going to change, bastard."

The relief shining through expressive, dark eyes hardened his resolve; he would get over his stupid issues. Like hell would he allow them to ruin the great friendship he had with the dark eyed man.

As long as he could keep their friendship, he would be fine.

* * *

Their second time having sex went only marginally better. Naruto comforted himself with the thought that at least now they hadn't gone through the awkward ' _shit, how is Sasuke supposed to get it up?_ ' stage again.

A small mercy, that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Next chapter Naruto will take a test to confirm his pregnancy - three guesses as to what the result's going to be ...
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> Normally the next chapter will be posted on the sixteenth of June. For the ones interested, I posted the missing scene of Going to the Therapist yesterday under the title The Road to You.
> 
> See you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: The Christmas scene in this chapter wasn't supposed to be that long - and I seem to have a knack for writing holidays in the wrong month - but well, it is what it is, I suppose LOL Also can I just say that I'm extremely delighted with the fact that this fic has already crossed 150 kudos? :D Thank you so much for your support!
> 
> Thanks for the comments and the kudos!
> 
> Warnings: references to throwing up; nothing else.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 7_

Sakura returned on Wednesday from her impromptu conference. She and Sasuke invited Naruto for dinner on Thursday and they all silently agreed to not talk about the fact that Naruto had slept with her husband.

It didn't matter that they all knew what had to be done; some things just couldn't be discussed without them becoming way beyond awkward. Sleeping with your best friend's husband in order to carry a baby for them was one of those things.

They – mainly Sakura – were determined to get past the awkwardness and Naruto was desperate to push past the guilt, so on Saturday they went out to see a movie together, not discussing the baby that might or might not be currently growing in Naruto and just enjoying being together with their friends. Sasuke and Sakura dropped him off at his apartment on their way back home and the tension which had been palpable for the past week had significantly ebbed away by the time the movie had ended.

It was nice. Maybe they would be able to reach the end of this without too much trouble.

* * *

The month December passed by in a flurry, like it always did since he had started teaching. There were the last assignments of the semester to be handed out and received, projects to be marked, teacher meetings to be attended and even a gallery to organise for the fifth year students. He had to write out the marks for his students, check double, triple to make certain he wasn't accidentally switching two names or even years with each other.

He didn't see his friends much either. The end of the year was a busy time for both Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke had several meetings during the week and several parties and drinks to attend while Sakura was working long hours in the hospital; the slippery roads and the holiday cheer making people careless.

It was a hectic month for all of them and thoughts about the baby were put at the back of his mind; more pressing matters like marks and meetings taking priority for now.

"You know, you'd think that after all these years, you'd learn not to put off buying presents until the last minute," Gaara remarked idly; his face the picture of boredom as he followed Naruto into yet another store.

"Oh, shut up," Naruto groused, swatting at the red haired man without looking. "It's not that bad this year! I mean, I already have presents for you, dog breath, Shikamaru and Iruka-sensei. I just need to find something for Sakura-chan and the bastard."

"What, nothing for Jiraiya-san?" Gaara asked curiously, dodging a toddler who was ambling towards a pile of folded sweaters.

"I made him a painting," the blond answered dismissively. "He's been whining forever that I still haven't painted anything for him, so there."

"What do you have in mind for the other two?" the red haired man inquired.

Naruto shrugged, removing his gloves and stuffing them into his pockets for the time being. "I don't really know," he admitted reluctantly. "I was thinking about a scarf for Sakura-chan?"

"Sounds like a nice present," his friend commented, shooting a glare at the boy rushing past him as his mother chased after him.

"Can't go wrong with a scarf, right?" Naruto grimaced, wandering towards a wall where several scarves in different colours were displayed neatly. "I just don't know what to get for Sasuke."

Buying a present for Sasuke was a whole ordeal every year, time and time again, whether it was for his birthday or for Christmas. The man had grown up with money, made good money now and could buy anything he wanted whenever he wanted.

Naruto, on the other hand, was severely limited by his own bank account, even with the yearly bonus he got from his job and the little bit of extra money Kiba's sister had slipped into his pocket, even as he protested. His limited budget made it an extremely hard task to find something for his dark haired friend and like every year he found himself equally despairing and being mad at himself for not tracking down gifts sooner.

One would think he would know better by now, but of course not.

"Hm, what do you think of this colour?" Naruto pondered aloud, unhooking a lily white coloured scarf from the wall. It felt incredibly soft and light, but it seemed thick enough to provide warmth in this cold weather.

"It's a scarf." Gaara stared at him blankly.

"Sooo, good?"

"Yes, Naruto, go with that," Gaara sighed, shaking his head.

The blond man would feel offended at the obvious lack of interest the other man was displaying, but Gaara had never been interested in the whole gift exchange, especially not when it was for people he only considered friends on the surface. That wasn't to say that Gaara didn't buy any presents; he actually seemed to enjoy – or at the very least not mind – buying presents for people he liked, but he wasn't quick to offer his opinion on possible gifts. His disinterest would be annoying, but Naruto had him tagging along for the company, not for his thoughts about gifts. Although, he would appreciate any thought his friend had.

"One down, one more to go," Naruto muttered as the cashier handed him a little bag containing the scarf with a friendly smile.

They stepped out of the store and were immediately assaulted by the harsh cold wind, slamming into them and colouring their cheeks and noses red. They immediately pulled on their gloves and scarves again, but Naruto still shivered; his jacket not really appropriate for the cold weather.

"So any idea yet what you're going to buy for Uchiha?" Gaara questioned neutrally; his green eyes glinting like gems in the streetlight.

The day had turned into the evening and the sky had darkened considerably; the streetlights flickering into existence one by one, illuminating the sidewalks and the people hurrying to their destination.

"Nope," Naruto muttered sourly; his gaze trailing over the shops lining up at both sides of the street.

Next to him the older man sighed; his breath leaving him in a thin cloud of white smoke. "You know he's going to like whatever you're going to give him, right?" he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "He's not going to care about how much it costs."

"I know that," the blond mumbled, looking away. "I just want to find a good present for him."

Gaara clucked his tongue, a hint of annoyance crossing his face as he pulled his left hand out of his pocket and shoved his sleeve back a bit in order to look at his watch. "Well, it's nearly dinnertime," he remarked, lowering his arm again. "The shops are closing soon too. Why don't we grab some dinner and then go home? You still have two weeks left before Christmas."

Naruto wanted to protest, but the prospect of warm food and not freezing his balls off in this horrible weather made the choice for him and he nodded, following his friend into his grey Nissan Sedan, which had been parked at the end of the street.

And because Gaara was such a good friend, he didn't remark at all on the fact that Naruto was distracted throughout the whole meal.

Really, what did you give someone who already had everything?

* * *

In the end he did find something for Sasuke and his friends were happy with their presents.

Kiba had received his two days before Christmas because he would be leaving town with his sister to visit their parents and wouldn't be back until after New Year's. His present was a small basket filled with his favourite beer and – because Naruto could be a jerk at times – a package of dog biscuits as well. But well, Akamaru would have no problem demolishing those cookies, so he didn't feel guilty about it. Kiba had retaliated by gifting him a box of ramen and a large box of fishcakes; he had never been quite original with his pranks.

Jiraiya had received his painting – depicting the beach he had taken Naruto to when he had graduated from college with the sun setting, bleeding red, orange and purple into the sky and the water – five days before Christmas. Normally he and Naruto would make a point of spending some hours on Christmas together, but the older man had been invited by an old friend of his – someone whose name he adamantly refused to give out – and had promised him they would meet up after Christmas and he would take the younger man out for dinner then as his present. Naruto had a dark suspicion that this mysterious friend was a woman and he couldn't wait until he saw the pervert again to grill him about it.

He had given Gaara and Shikamaru their presents on Christmas' Eve. Gaara had invited him to spend the day with him and his family and Temari had asked Shikamaru to join them. Kankuro had shown up alone, stating that he and his girlfriend hadn't felt ready yet to spend a holiday together with the family. Shikamaru had been happy with his new book _'How to Play Go for Experts_ ' and had given Naruto in return tickets to an art exhibit that would soon open its doors in January. Gaara's present had taken some months to save money for, but the pen engraved with the kanji of Gaara's name had been worth it to see the look of delight in green eyes when his friend had opened the gift.

Gaara had surprised him by gifting him a scrapbook with pictures of them both and Naruto's friends in general; there were even pictures of Sasuke included and that had caused him to smile and hug the older man gratefully, knowing that if it had been up to Gaara himself, only a select few of Naruto's friend circle would have ended up in the scrapbook.

Christmas day itself was spent with Sasuke and Sakura in their home with the pink haired woman cooking up a storm in the kitchen and barely tolerating the men's help. Normally this day was spent with the entire Uchiha family, but Fugaku was still not in a stellar mood and Sasuke had made the decision to spend the day with his best friend instead of his family to avoid possible frictions from happening. Naruto felt guilty about that, because Christmas with the entire Uchiha clan had practically become a tradition, but Sasuke reassured him dryly that he didn't mind it in the slightest that he wasn't subjected to his entire family's gossip and whims this year.

They exchanged gifts after dinner.

"This scarf is so lovely! Thank you, Naruto-kun," Sakura gushed as her fingers trailed across the soft cloth before unfolding it and holding it out in its full length in front of her. She grinned. "Definitely going to be wearing this one for the rest of the winter."

"I'm glad you like it, Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned, rubbing the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

They were seated in the living room with the lights dimmed and the string of lights in the Christmas tree twinkling red, gold and green against the wooden floor. The room was pleasantly warm; a sharp contrast with the howling wind outside and the flurry of snow slowly coating the ground, trees and houses.

"Open my present," she urged him, folding the scarf up and placing it on her lap. She had her half long hair turned into loose curls for the occasion and she swept some of the curls over her shoulder when they slipped forwards.

Naruto was handed a flat, square package, wrapped in white paper with dark green trees drawn on it. It felt rather lumpy and if the paper wouldn't tear because of it he would be able to fold it in half, which made him think that she was gifting him some sort of clothing item. Curious as to what kind of clothing she would pick out for me, he ripped away the paper and pushed it aside to reveal what it hid.

It was a thick, dark orange jacket with the white collar padded and two deep pockets on the front. He lifted it out of the package and felt how heavy it was, proving its thickness; ideally for this cold weather.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan!" he grinned, leaning forwards to give her a loose hug. "It's even in orange!" he laughed, drawing back from the hug so that he could admire the jacket more.

"That colour is an eyesore, but I know how much you love orange," she told him and rolled her eyes good-naturedly, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"There's nothing wrong with orange," he protested; the argument nearly as old as their friendship.

"Open mine next," Sasuke interrupted before they could really gather steam for their argument and nudged over a box, wrapped in dark blue paper.

After folding up the jacket as much as he could and placing it next to him, Naruto pulled the box closer to him and picked it up, only barely resisting the urge to shake it in case something breakable was inside. It wasn't too heavy and he placed it on his lap so that he could rip off the paper easier. The dark blue wrapping paper gave way to a white box and he removed the lid from it; struggling a bit with the piece of tape that kept the gift sealed.

Inside he found several paint brushes encased in a beautiful, wooden box with a glass window and various small bottles of paint of the expensive variety that he only treated himself to once or twice a year when he really wanted to create something extraordinary.

"Oh," was all he could utter stunned as his fingers trailed over the small bottles, picking some of them up to admire the deep colours which were no doubt quite pigmented.

Sasuke shrugged, placing his own cup of tea back on the table. "I noticed you could use some new brushes and paint," he said neutrally, as if it wasn't a big deal that he had just spent a large amount of money on which essentially were just some brushes and paint.

Normally Naruto didn't agree with letting his friends buy expensive gifts for him – not when he couldn't reciprocate with equally expensive presents – but he wasn't in the mood for an argument and well, he _was_ in need of new brushes and he certainly wasn't about to say no to decent paint.

"Thanks," he grinned, putting the lid back on top of the box and placing it next to him. "And now we have one present left!"

He handed over Sasuke's gift with a grin, but inwardly he was nervous and he couldn't stop his right foot from tapping against the floor as he watched with hawk eyes how the dark haired man carefully removed the paper from the flat square present. All of a sudden he wasn't so sure anymore about his idea and he wondered whether it was too late to snatch it away and pretend it was meant for someone else. Would Sasuke believe him if he told him his present still needed to arrive?

Yeah, no, Sasuke definitely wasn't that stupid and he knew Naruto was careful not to make mistakes with the presents after the infamous gift disaster five years ago.

"Huh," Sakura murmured when Sasuke was finished with unwrapping his present and as she was sitting next to him, she had a good view of the gift.

Naruto hadn't had any luck in the shops, no matter how many times he had gone back after his classes were finished. He had come close to panicking, fearing that this would be the year he would have nothing to give to his best friend, until he had suddenly been hit with a burst of inspiration one evening, six nights ago. It had been rather stupid, actually. He had been making himself a bowl of cereal and when he had gone to grab the bottle of milk, his mind had drifted off to the conversation he had had with Sasuke after their first night of sleeping together. From there his brain had made the switch to what he had considered at the time to be the perfect Christmas present for his best friend.

Now staring at Sasuke, who was studying the frame with a blank look on his face, Naruto started to have second thoughts and he wasn't certain anymore that he had created the perfect gift. Embarrassment started to fill him like a hot drink and he worried his lower lip between his teeth.

Sasuke's present was a painting Naruto had spent hours on and had led to three sleepless nights, a lot of caffeine and four crossed out attempts. The canvas on its own wasn't that big; twenty by twenty-four inches, large enough to paint the image Naruto had had come up with after four tries. The canvas was roughly divided into two parts: one part was painted orange, red and yellow, the colours blending and swirling together nicely, managing to look soft instead of too bright. The other part was painted blue and purple mainly, with some streaks of black near the bottom and the top corner. The colours were light enough to not come across as too dark, but the mingled darker colours still provided a good contrast with the orange and yellow next to it. The colours formed the background of the painting and while they were nice enough to look at, it was the addition right in the middle of the painting that formed the main focal point.

It was nothing too fancy or too complicated. Just two small hands reaching out towards each other, linking their index and middle fingers together. One hand – the one painted on the light coloured side – was a tad smaller than the other one and had a vague greenish spot near its wrist: a fading bruise. The other hand was slender, elegant looking, and slightly paler than the other one. There was no mistaking that they were children's hands, though; quite familiar ones even.

"Naruto …" Sasuke murmured; dark eyes rising up from their study of the portrait and looked at the blond in front of him intently.

Naruto squirmed and looked away, not able to deal with the penetrating gaze he was subjected to. "I just … figured it could act as a reminder, you know," he muttered, fidgeting with his fingers and looking everywhere but at the dark, all too knowing eyes. "So that you won't ever think it's going to be different."

"Stuck for life, huh?" Sasuke smirked, shaking his head lightly.

"You better believe it, bastard," Naruto grinned back, relieved that the older man didn't appear weirded out by his choice of a gift.

Sakura scrunched up her nose; her green eyes flitting back and forth between the two men. "I'm not even going to try to guess what that means," she snorted, leaning back; amusement colouring her voice.

"Probably for the best," Sasuke said dryly, but blue eyes took notice of how carefully he placed the painting on the table and warmth spread out from his stomach to the rest of his body.

* * *

When Naruto left the house a few hours later, being driven back home by Sasuke, the painting had found its place in Sasuke's study.

Right above the desk where Sasuke would see it whenever he looked up.

_Maybe I'm better at finding gifts than I give myself credit for_ , Naruto grinned that night as he slipped underneath the sheets.

Not even the cold draft sneaking into his bedroom able to diminish his good mood.

* * *

True to his word, Jiraiya took him out for dinner a few days after New Year's. The entire time Naruto needled him for information about this mysterious friend, tried to get him to slip at least some details about him or her, but the older man remained stubbornly silent, saying he would tell the blond when he was ready.

That particular comment, about being ready, made Naruto wonder whether this particular friend was really just a friend and not something more. Even his teasing about that couldn't get the white haired man to open his mouth.

The second week of January saw him with his head almost entirely in the toilet bowl as he threw up his dinner of the evening before. The first time he dismissed it as having eaten something bad – the salmon had looked a bit off and he had a dark suspicion that it had gone past its expiration date – but after the third time that week, he started to become suspicious.

When Friday arrived and he had thrown up two more times – twice on Thursday – Naruto concluded that there was more going on than simply salmon having gone bad and he could smack his head against the wall when he realised that he hadn't taken a test yet. How could he have forgotten something like that?!

Well, he knew what to do now after his last class of the week was finished.

* * *

"Okay, you can come in," Naruto called out after he had placed the third test on the edge of the sink. He leant back against the wall and watched how Sakura first entered the bathroom, her cheeks rose with excitement, and then Sasuke followed; his face an odd mixture of apprehension and something else the blond man couldn't immediately identify.

"Three sticks?" Sasuke inquired dubiously when he noticed the pregnancy tests lying on the sink.

Sakura shrugged, tugging at some pink strands as her eyes stayed fixated on the white sticks. "Sometimes a test can give a false negative or a false positive, so it's better to use a few just to be on the safe side," she explained, tapping her foot quickly against the tiles, crossing her arms.

"So now we just have to wait for three minutes," Naruto announced, rubbing a hand over his left arm. He felt nervous and judging by the tense atmosphere in the bathroom, his friends weren't faring any better. He couldn't blame them for that.

He had called Sakura during his lunch break, informing her that he was planning on taking a pregnancy test today. She had instantly reassured him she would bring some tests he could use and she would pick him up from the school. On their way to their house, Sakura had called Sasuke and told him to return home immediately so he could be there when they got the results. For once Sasuke hadn't complained about having to move any meetings or being forced to postpone his work and had assured them he would be there as soon as he could.

Naruto was pretty certain his friend had actually ignored some traffic lights on his way here because they had barely been inside for five minutes when Sasuke had entered the house; his eyes glittering brightly.

Both his friends were clearly excited – even if Sasuke was better at hiding that, but Naruto knew him well enough to spot the signs – and he had all but been pushed inside the bathroom to take the tests. They all knew there was a chance that he wasn't pregnant yet – considering he had only slept with Sasuke a couple of times – but his recent bout of nausea was considered as a good sign.

"Time's up," Sakura announced, her voice trembling slightly, and all three of them leant forwards, eager to see the results.

Naruto stilled when he took in the results and he breathed out, "It's …"

"Positive! All three are positive!" Sakura squealed and the next thing Naruto knew slender arms were wrapped around his neck, the sweet scent of roses assaulted his nostrils, and his vision was briefly obstructed by pink hair.

"It's positive, fuck," Sasuke breathed out and sank down on the toilet; dark eyes gazing at the sticks incredulously.

_Positive._

Naruto was pregnant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: And from here on the MPreg starts - and a shitload of more angst, but what else is new, huh?
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> Next time: Naruto has his first appointment and there he meets someone from the past.
> 
> See you all on the 30th of June for the eight chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I hadn't expected so much response to the previous chapter, but I'm definitely happy with it!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: hm, slight cliffhanger?
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 8_

"Kankuro, if you don't get your lazy arse off that couch, I'm going to stick my foot so far up your arse they're going to have to surgically remove it!" Temari snarled and threw one of her high heels at her brother, who ducked just in time to avoid having his cheek impaled by it.

"Fuck, you crazy bitch!" Kankuro cursed, but stood up, most likely to avoid having the other shoe thrown at him. "What the hell do you want?"

"Go get the beer out of my car," she ordered and threw him her set of keys, which he snatched out of the air deftly.

"You couldn't bring them up when you got here?" he grumbled, but slipped past her, stuffing his feet into his shoes. The door swung shut behind him.

"It's nice to see they don't change," Naruto remarked dryly from his spot near the window. Next to him Gaara rolled his eyes, taking a swig from his beer.

"Don't know why they bothered to show up," he grumbled annoyed. "I'd been fine with just you."

"Guess they want to celebrate their brother's birthday," the blond chuckled, nursing his own glass of soda.

"If they really wanted to celebrate my birthday, they can start by shutting up and stop being so loud," Gaara groused, glaring at his sister who was humming and busying herself in the kitchen with preparing lunch.

"That's how they show their love," Naruto grinned and received an unimpressed look for his trouble.

"I've bought more soda and that brand of apple juice you like," Gaara murmured, voice lowering as he glanced quickly at Temari. "There's also alcohol free beer if you want."

"Thanks," Naruto smiled and crossed his legs, slumping deeper into the comfortable couch.

He had told Gaara a few days ago that he was pregnant and his friend had reacted surprisingly supportive. Not that he had expected that Gaara would drop him, but the red haired man had made it quite clear what he thought about this. While his enthusiasm about the baby was quite underwhelming compared to Sakura's and Sasuke's, he had assured the blond man that he would be there for him whenever he was needed.

"When's your first appointment?" Gaara inquired, leaning his chin on his raised knee.

The door slammed open again and Kankuro entered, cursing up a storm as he hauled some heavy looking bags with him. "What the hell did you do? Buy the entire shelf?" he grunted as he placed the bags on the kitchen table.

"No, but maybe you're not used to exerting your muscles anymore," Temari snipped back and then they were bickering again, all the while flitting around the kitchen as they prepared the food and drinks for the party.

Naruto shook his head amused; used to their antics by now. "Yeah, at the end of this month," he replied and chuckled when he recalled Sakura's frantic calling to Tsunade. "Sakura-chan's pissed off because the old hag can't schedule me in sooner."

" _What do you mean, you don't have an earlier empty slot?" Sakura asked incredulously._

_Naruto looked up startled, surprised at how rude the pink haired woman sounded towards the doctor. "She's excited, huh?" he remarked, both amused and wary._

_Sasuke snorted, glancing at him as he sank down next to him on the couch. "That's putting it mildly," he muttered, handing over a cup of tea._

" _I understand you're busy, but Shishou …" Sakura trailed off; her face a mixture of frustration and embarrassment. She paused as Tsunade on the other end said something and then sighed, her shoulders slumping with disappointment. "All right, I guess we'll take that one then."_

" _Not like our input is required," Sasuke murmured dryly._

" _Shishou's schedule is completely full for the next upcoming five weeks, but she managed to find an open spot for us at the end of the month," Sakura announced, her cheeks flushed. She clasped her hands together and rocked back and forth slightly. "So we'll confirm the exact amount of weeks then and of course get official confirmation that you're pregnant," she added and her green eyes shone with excitement._

" _The both of you will be joining me then?" Naruto questioned, sipping from his steaming cup of tea._

" _Of course we are!" she declared and almost looked insulted that the blond would think otherwise. "Our appointment is at four thirty; we'll come pick you up. We need to celebrate this!" She hurried into the kitchen and a few seconds later there was the sound of glasses being placed on the counter._

_Naruto smiled, affected by the enthusiasm practically wafting off his pink haired friend, before he chanced a glance at Sasuke and his smile fell, replaced by worry. Gnawing on his lower lip, he considered the dark eyed man next to him. Aside from his stunned exclamation of Naruto being pregnant, Sasuke hadn't further reacted to the news and not for the first time Naruto wondered whether his best friend was actually okay with this. Sure, he had agreed and normally Sasuke wasn't one to do something he didn't want to do, but …_

" _What?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, having taken notice of Naruto's staring._

_Naruto cleared his throat and fiddled with the ear of his mug. Forcing himself not to look away, he asked, "Are you – are you happy with, you know? With the baby?" Uncertainty tainted his tone._

_Instantly Sasuke's face shifted, becoming softer and he reached out with a hand to squeeze Naruto's shoulder. "I_ am _happy, Naruto. Thank you for doing this," he murmured. He hesitated for a moment and then added, "It's just – a bit overwhelming right now. I still haven't completely wrapped my mind around the fact that I'm going to be a father." His smile was wry._

_Naruto grinned and bumped their shoulders together. "You can't always be quick on the uptake." He winked and laughed when Sasuke scoffed and shoved him back._

"You're going to tell Jiraiya soon that you'll need a replacement at the end of the year?" Gaara asked, glancing warily at his siblings who seemed to be fighting about a bowl of salad of all things.

Naruto made a non-committal sound, drinking from his soda to avoid answering.

Green eyes narrowed dangerously. "You haven't even told him yet that you're playing Uchiha's surrogate, have you?" he questioned flatly.

The blond man squirmed guiltily, looking away from the accusing gaze. "I'm planning to!" he defended himself, careful to keep his voice down. "I just – need to find the right moment, that's all."

The truth was that he hadn't wanted to discuss this with Jiraiya before he was actually pregnant. There was no doubt in his mind that the older man would have tried to change his mind and the blue eyed man really hadn't been in the mood for yet another argument about it. Now that he was pregnant, there was nothing that could be done about it anymore and thus no sense in arguing about it. He felt slightly guilty for thinking like that, but it was what it was and he couldn't go back in time to change it.

Gaara uttered a sigh and shook his head. "Fine, just don't wait too long. Even he'll realise something is wrong once you start showing."

"I'll tell him soon, I promise," Naruto reassured his friend, but grimaced, not looking forward to that particular conversation.

"All right, food's ready!" Temari announced cheerfully, bringing in the bowl with salad. Behind her Kankuro followed with more bowls and plates.

The conversation effectively shut down by their presence, Gaara and Naruto made their way to the dinner table. They didn't talk about the pregnancy for the rest of the day.

* * *

A couple of days before his appointment with Tsunade, Naruto finally gathered enough courage to talk to Jiraiya. It wouldn't be an easy conversation, he could predict that already. Not only would he have to inform the older man that he was pregnant, but before he could do that, he'd have to explain that he possessed the O-gene; the mutation that made it possible for him to carry children.

So far he had only told four people in total about that and Jiraiya wasn't included in that total. He had only been told at age sixteen that he had a godfather after the solicitor had deemed him old enough to look into the will of his parents. Nobody had ever told him his parents had had a will and he had never managed to figure out why the solicitor had waited years to find him. The house his parents had had been sold quite quickly after the funeral and most of the money they had left behind had been used to cover the costs of Naruto's hospital stay and the funeral.

The will had stipulated that in the event of their death, Naruto was to be put under the care of Jiraiya, but for reasons unknown the older man hadn't been informed about that fact until thirteen years after their deaths – at the same moment Naruto had been informed about it.

The two men had got to know each other slowly and they had a fairly close bond now. However, in all the years Naruto had known Jiraiya, he had never once found a good moment to inform the other man about his O-gene. It just wasn't something that one could talk about out of the blue and as his past relationships had never been serious enough to lead to children, Naruto had decided to put off talking about it until there was actually a possibility of a child being in the picture.

Like now.

He had called Sasuke yesterday to ask him whether he and Sakura would mind if he informed Jiraiya about the whole situation. He wouldn't be able to hide his pregnancy in a couple of months, so Jiraiya would have had to be informed regardless of Sasuke's involvement with it, but Naruto wanted to explain to his godfather why he was carrying a child. Sure, he could play it off as the baby being his lover's, but Jiraiya would want to meet this supposed boyfriend then and clearly there was no such person in Naruto's life. However, Sasuke and Sakura might not like too many people knowing about the surrogacy, so he had left the choice up to them. If they wanted him to keep quiet about it, he'd figure out some excuse eventually.

They had discussed it for nearly an hour, before the couple had given him permission to inform Jiraiya about the surrogacy. Like Sakura had pointed out, it would be hard to explain why Naruto wouldn't be taking care of the child if Jiraiya didn't know about Naruto being their surrogate.

And if that remark had stung him somewhat, he'd been quick to ignore it and push it away to the back of his mind.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto steeled himself and knocked on the dark wooden door in front of him. Classes had ended half an hour ago and only a few stragglers were left in the hallway, discussing the upcoming weekend with each other. They didn't pay any attention to him and he ignored them in return.

"Enter!" Jiraiya's deep voice rumbled from within the room.

Heart beating ridiculously fast, Naruto opened the door slowly and stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind him with a quiet 'click'.

Black eyes looked up and Jiraiya halted his hasty scribbling. The corners of his eyes wrinkled as he grinned. "Hey, Naruto, didn't expect to see you here today."

"Yeah, eh, I need to talk to you," Naruto started and wandered closer to the desk when his godfather waved him over.

"Talk to me as your boss or your godfather?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, tapping his pen against the paper.

"As my godfather," Naruto replied and sank down on the chair. "I need to talk to you about two things actually, but they're kind of related, so …"

"Hm." Jiraiya leaned back in his chair and dropped the pen on the desk, looking intrigued. "Well, the floor's yours, brat. What do you need to tell me?"

"It's …" Naruto hesitated, tongue tied as he didn't know how to start. "Well, eh, the first thing is – something I haven't told many people about."

"Okay."

"Have you – have you heard of the O-gene?"

Dark eyes blinked bemused. "Of course I have. I dare say you have to live under a rock to not have heard of it. What does this have to do with …" he trailed off and his eyes sharpened; a calculating look passing over his face.

Perversity aside, Jiraiya wasn't a stupid man. Give him a few clues and he didn't have any trouble connecting them and coming to the right conclusion in the end – like he was doing now.

"For you to mention this particular subject – are you a carrier of the gene?" Jiraiya asked slowly.

The blond man nodded and licked his lips nervously. "Yeah, I carry the gene."

"Huh, never really expected to hear that," Jiraiya mused. "But it's okay. You say only a couple of others know?"

"Yeah, my best friends and my old teacher," Naruto replied, fiddling with his fingers.

"How long have they known?"

"A couple of years." Naruto shrugged.

Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully. "If they have known for a couple of years, why telling me now all of a sudden?" He didn't sound angry or offended or even hurt, just generally baffled.

The blond man scratched the back of his neck, cursing himself for not trying to find a way to break the news earlier.

"Wait, sorry, stupid question," Jiraiya groaned and slapped his forehead, shaking his head. "You said you had two things to discuss with me – considering you started about the O-gene, does this mean … Are you pregnant?"

Naruto nodded hesitatingly, hiding his surprise at having been found out so quickly. He was even more surprised when the older man started chuckling.

"Well, congratulations! I suppose I'll have to look out for a replacement in a couple of months, huh?" he questioned jovially. A mock stern look appeared on his face. "I didn't know you were seeing somebody, though. Don't you think you should have told me when you became steady with someone?"

"What? I'm not with anyone, it's - "

A look of comprehension crossed Jiraiya's face and he leant forwards across the desk to pat Naruto's shoulder comfortingly. "A one-nightstand, huh?" He nodded and smiled sympathetically. "Well, it's going to be all right, you'll see. Just say what you need and I'll - "

"It's not a one-nightstand! It's Sasuke's!" Naruto blurted out before he could think twice about how that would sound and had the pleasure of shocking Jiraiya thoroughly.

The man frowned, looking perplexed. "But wait, isn't he married? God, kid, haven't I taught you that you don't fuck around with married people?" he groaned and this time he did sound disappointed. "Especially not when you're best friends with them! Honestly, Naruto, you - "

"It's not like that!" Naruto protested and scowled, feeling offended that Jiraiya would really think he'd have an affair with a married man. "I'm his surrogate, okay?"

"You're his what?!"

* * *

Just like Gaara, Jiraiya didn't like it that Naruto had decided to be a surrogate – and not liking it was an understatement. Following Gaara, the older man was worried that Naruto was underestimating the impact the pregnancy would have on him. He seemed to think that Naruto would grow too attached to the baby and that nothing but misery would come of it in the end.

They had argued for more than an hour, Naruto progressively getting angrier, until his godfather had finally given in with a sigh and the promise he'd help out Naruto when needed. It was clear that he still wasn't happy with Naruto's decision, but it wasn't as if he could stop him now. The baby was there already and there was no way of going back in time.

Naruto was glad to have Jiraiya's support in the end, no matter how reluctant, but was it that wrong of him to have hoped for a positive reaction?

Why was everyone so hellbent on thinking that Naruto wouldn't be able to handle the pregnancy?

* * *

"I can still pick you up. There's no need to take the bus," Sasuke said irritated and in the background there was the noise of car horns.

Naruto raised an eyebrow sceptically, even though Sasuke couldn't see his face through the phone. "Sasuke, it'll take you at least half an hour to get to Sakura-chan and then nearly twenty-five minutes before you reach the school," he explained patiently. "And that's if traffic isn't too horrible. It'll take another twenty minutes to reach the old hag's practice from the school – we'll be late and you know how Tsunade is when people are late. No, just go pick up Sakura-chan and drive straight to the practice from there. I'm already at the bus stop anyway."

"Naruto," Sasuke practically growled.

"Bastard," Naruto mock growled back and rolled his eyes. "Don't act so difficult; it's not the first time I'm taking a bus. I'll be fine. Just pick up Sakura-chan and I'll see you at the Tsunade's, okay?"

"Fine," Sasuke sighed defeated and hung up.

Naruto huffed amused and shook his head, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. Today he had his first appointment and Sasuke was supposed to have come and picked him up from the school. Naruto had just packed his bags when his friend had called to inform that Sakura's car had broken down and he had to go pick her up at the hospital. Tsunade's practice was closer to Naruto's place so it made more sense for Naruto to take the bus there and wait for his friends there. They should be just in time for their appointment if traffic didn't hold them up for too long.

A bus came to a halt in front of him and after checking the number, he boarded it, making his way to the back where there were still a few seats empty. A few minutes later the bus departed with a small shock and Naruto looked out of the window, watching the streets and buildings pass by.

While Tsunade primarily took care of pregnant people, she had worked as a regular doctor for several years. It was how she and Naruto had met actually. He had landed in a fight with four other guys and while he had certainly given as good as he got, he still had got beaten up pretty badly. Tsunade had just been passing by, on her way to home from work, when he had staggered out of the alley where he had been ambushed. She had taken one look at his bruised and bloodied face and had demanded he followed her so she could patch him up. He had protested, not needing her help, but she had gripped his arm before he could take off running and had practically dragged him to her place. Somehow she had extracted a promise out of him that he would at least visit her once a month so she could be certain he was still alive.

Even after all these years of knowing her, he hadn't managed to figure out yet why exactly she had decided to worry about him. He had asked her once, but all he got as answer was that he reminded her of some people she had lost in the past. She had looked so miserable at whatever memory had been dragged up due to their conversation that Naruto had hastily let it go.

It was nice to have some kind of grandmother figure in his life – because Tsunade really wasn't young enough anymore to pass as his mother, no matter what she claimed her age to be – but today Naruto wished he didn't have such a close bond with the doctor. She would surely have something to say about him being a surrogate and she wasn't the type to mince her words.

He exited the bus at the fourth stop and crossed the street as soon as the light turned green. Tsunade's practice was right around the corner, so it was only a short walk. That small distance was enough to freeze his face, though; the frigid air merciless against his cheeks and nose and the wind howled around him.

Nervous butterflies started to assault him the moment he ascended the three stone steps and pushed open the door of the practice. It opened with some difficulty and then he was standing in the middle of a brightly lit hallway. There were two doors: one at the end of the hallway which read 'Practice' on a small, golden plate on the door and one on his right, which had 'Waiting Room' inscribed in the golden plate.

Worrying his lower lip between his teeth and absurdly wishing he had taken Sasuke up on his offer, he opened the door leading to the waiting room and entered it hesitatingly; blue eyes flickering around the room as he took in his surroundings.

Like every waiting room, this one had a table with a bunch of old magazines on it; a mixture of gossip magazines and ones aimed at expecting mothers and fathers. Two windows allowed daylight to pour in, though some lights had been flicked on as well. The floor had dark blue carpet and there were twelve chairs: six on the left and six on the right side.

At the moment there was one other person present in the room. A man with long, blond hair, which was partly put up in a ponytail. A lock of his hair shielded his face until he raised his head and Naruto looked straight into cobalt blue eyes.

"You here for Tsunade-sensei, un?" the man inquired friendly. When he reclined more in his chair, Naruto noticed the slight swelling of his stomach and a shock went through him as he realised that this man was just like him: a carrier of the O-gene.

"Eh, yeah, but I'm waiting for my friends to arrive," Naruto answered, still lingering near the door.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Is the appointment for your friend or for you?"

"For me," Naruto replied after a short bout of hesitation.

Understanding lit up on the stranger's face and he smiled knowingly. "Your first child?"

Figuring it would be too complicated to explain what was really going on, Naruto just nodded in agreement.

"This is my first child as well," the other man smiled and lovingly caressed his stomach. "Is this going to be your first appointment?"

"Yeah, I, eh, I took some tests a few weeks ago," Naruto answered and shifted his foot; nerves playing up more and more.

"You can sit, you know," the other blond remarked amused. "I don't bite, un." He winked.

A nervous chuckle escaped Naruto, but he chose the seat next to the long haired blond, thinking it would be rude if he sat elsewhere now that they were talking with each other.

"So, eh, are you waiting for someone?" he asked and scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah, my fiancé," the man confirmed and only now Naruto took notice of the golden ring with a small sapphire studded in the middle adorning the man's finger.

"Oh, congratulations!"

"Thanks, un," the man chuckled and inclined his head. "I'm Deidara."

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto returned and nodded. "So, eh, how far are you? If you don't mind me asking." He flushed, hoping he hadn't crossed any boundaries.

"Four months now. When's your appointment, un?"

"At four thirty. Yours?"

"Five o'clock." At Naruto's surprised look, Deidara elaborated sheepishly, "My car's getting some work done and I overestimated the time it would take me to get here by bus, so I arrived earlier than I intended to."

"Well, better too early than too late, right?" Naruto quipped with a grin.

Deidara threw his head back and laughed. "I suppose so!"

"So is your fiancé coming here then?"

"Yeah, he still had some work to do, but he's on his way now," Deidara replied. "He should be here any moment actually."

They both turned around when the front door creaked open and a few seconds later both Sasuke and Sakura entered the room.

"What did you do? Run all the red lights?" Naruto questioned incredulously, checking the clock on the wall opposite of him. It should have taken at least ten more minutes for them to arrive here.

Sasuke huffed annoyed and Sakura giggled, placing her hand on his arm. "He's a bit too excited." She winked, pecking Sasuke's cheek as she pulled him towards Naruto.

Deidara leant forwards; a frown creasing his forehead. "Wait, are you - "

"Deidara? Sorry it took me so long; traffic was horrendous." Another man stepped inside.

Naruto's breath hitched and his eyes grew wide when the man raised his head and looked straight at them. Next to him, he could feel Sasuke stiffening.

The other man's eyes widened slightly in recognition.

"Otouto. It's a – surprise to see you here."

"Itachi-niisan," Sasuke breathed out.

There in front of them stood Uchiha Itachi – a man Naruto and Sasuke hadn't seen in ten years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: *cackles* How many of you had guessed this particular character? Any guesses as to how this meeting will end?
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> Next time: More Uchiha popping up.
> 
> See you all back on the 14th of July!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I love how surprised most of you were by Itachi's appearance XD Also, I know I promised more Uchiha showing up, but the appointment with Tsunade and the conversation with Itachi took up more space than I anticipated *coughs* So yeah, more Uchiha will show up in the next chapter normally.
> 
> Thanks for the comments and the kudos! I can't believe we passed 200 already :O
> 
> Warnings: drama; nothing else in particular I think
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like this chapter!

_Chapter 9_

The silence was so thick in the heavy room, even the sound of a needle being dropped would be swallowed up by it.

"Well, now I know why you look so familiar, un," Deidara was the one brave enough to break the silence, gazing at Sasuke apologetically.

That certainly didn't do anything to lighten the atmosphere. Sasuke balled his hands into fists and clenched his jaw, glaring at his older brother.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed, resembling a panther ready to strike too eerily for Naruto's liking.

Sakura must have been of the same opinion, because she tightened her hold around Sasuke's arm, casting a wary glance at Itachi.

Slowly Itachi closed the distance between them until he ended up standing on Deidara's other side. "Deidara has his check-up today," he answered slowly, carefully. His black eyes – similar to Sasuke's – were blank, but alert. "Why else would we be here? I suppose for you con - "

"Uchiha-san?" Tsunade's assistant, a friendly looking woman called Shizune, knocked on the open door and leant inside. She looked at her clipboard and then back at the people gathered in the room. "I've got an Uchiha-san scheduled for four thirty."

"That's our appointment," Sakura announced, tugging at Sasuke's arm. "Come on, let's go. Shishou doesn't like to be kept waiting for too long."

"We're going to talk," Sasuke addressed Itachi grimly, who inclined his head in agreement. "Come on, Naruto."

"Right," Naruto muttered, rising up from his chair. He threw a cautious look at Itachi and met Deidara's eyes briefly before he followed his friends into the hallway.

Shizune led them to Tsunade's office where she knocked briefly on the door. "Uchiha-san is here for the appointment, Tsunade-sensei," she called out.

" _Enter_ ," was the muffled reply and after a quick smile, Shizune opened the door and the small group entered, Naruto as the first one, followed by Sasuke and Sakura.

The busty doctor was seated at her desk and light brown eyes flicked up when they approached her. "Take a seat," she said, mentioning at the chairs in front of her desk.

Casting a furtive glance at Sasuke – the man's face was set in a deep scowl, which was a sharp contrast to the posters depicting happy men in the waiting room – Naruto took the first seat, clasping his hands between his legs. Sasuke sank down next to him, crossing his legs, while Sakura took the last seat, looking equally unnerved as exciting.

"So, Sakura told me that you took a couple of tests a few weeks ago," Tsunade started and the look she gave the blond man told him more than enough.

He could expect a discussion about his decision later on. Fantastic.

"Yeah, they were all positive," he muttered, rubbing his hands together.

"All right, just to confirm it officially – as the tests could still be wrong – I'll examine you now. Today the examination is mainly to confirm the pregnancy and see how many weeks you're pregnant so far," she said briskly and stood up. "I'm also going to take your blood pressure and take some blood to make sure you're completely healthy."

"A bit late to do that, no?" Naruto muttered and flushed when she narrowed her eyes.

"Well, if a certain someone had been more forthcoming these past few months, I wouldn't have to do this," she pointed out with a poisonous sweet smile and he swallowed.

Yes, he was definitely in deep shit. Fuck.

"Now go sit on that table," she ordered, turning around to take the blood pressure monitor.

Figuring it was in his best interest to not piss her off further, he hastily made his way to the examination table and hopped onto it, grimacing at the way the paper crinkled underneath his arse.

"Roll up your sleeve," she commanded, pulling a small stool towards her so that she could sit down on it.

He removed his coat and rolled up his right sleeve, holding it out. The device was slipped around his arm and soon he experienced that light tightening sensation that always accompanied having his blood pressure taken. Tsunade hummed in approval before removing the blood pressure monitor and exchanging it for a needle and three small bottles.

Naruto grimaced at the slight sting when the needle sank into his vein and looked away, not keen on seeing his blood fill the bottles. He wasn't exactly squeamish around blood, but well …

"All right, that's done," Tsunade announced after she had filled the last bottle and replaced the cotton bud with a round bandage. "Now, lie down and lift up your sweater." She looked behind her at the couple still seated at her desk. "And you two, come here, so that you can take a look at the baby."

Sakura practically jumped off her chair, an excited grin on her face as she rushed towards Naruto's left side while Tsunade set up the screen on the blond's right. Sasuke followed closely behind and his scowl had lessened; his eyes flitting back and forth between Naruto's bared stomach and the still dark screen of the monitor.

"This is going to feel cold at first," Tsunade warned Naruto and the next moment he gasped in surprise when a cold gel like substance was spread out over his stomach. Amusement tinted her voice when she said, "I told you."

He scowled at her, but didn't deign her amusement worthy of a verbal reply. Instead he turned his head slightly and stared at the screen as the monitor started up, emitting a barely audible buzzing noise. The transducer was placed on his stomach and Tsunade slowly started to move it around, staring intently at the screen.

"Sooo, what's the verdict?" Naruto asked, a tad nervous when the seconds ticked by in absolute silence. As far as he could see, there was nothing on the screen except for some shifting grey mass and he started to wonder whether the tests had been a fluke and he wasn't pregnant after all. Three pregnancy sticks being faulty didn't sound plausible, but stranger things had happened.

"You're eight weeks pregnant," Tsunade confirmed, sliding the transducer right underneath his bellybutton. She pointed at a particular spot on the right side of the screen. "You see this light coloured spot here? That's the baby."

"Oh my god," Sakura gasped and her fingers wrapped around Naruto's wrist, squeezing it gently. "You're actually pregnant, Naruto!" Awe filled her voice, but there was also an undercurrent of sadness in it and Naruto looked away, feeling strangely guilty all of a sudden.

It had to be difficult for Sakura now – being excited about the baby while simultaneously wanting to have been the one who carried it. Swallowing, he turned his attention to Sasuke and stilled when he saw the look of absolute _wonder_ etched onto the older man's face. He had stepped closer, his eyes glued onto the screen, and for the first time since they had begun this, Naruto realised just how much Sasuke had been longing for a child. It was written all over his face and blue eyes glanced away; the younger man feeling like he was intruding on a private moment.

Tsunade gave them a few moments to stare at the screen and with a start Naruto realised that this was _really happening now_. The baby was no longer an abstract concept, but actually there, inside his womb and his breathing hitched. Sure, the tests had told him that he was knocked up, that he and Sasuke had succeeded, but there was a stark difference between looking at some tests and actually _seeing_ the baby with his own eyes. He could no longer pretend that nothing was happening – in eight months he would be giving birth.

_Holy shit, he was actually pregnant!_

While he was having his private freak out, Tsunade shut off the monitor and gave him some paper towels to wipe the mess off his stomach.

"Provided that nothing goes wrong, your next appointment will be in March," she remarked, washing her hands at the small sink in the right corner of her office. "How bad is the morning sickness, Naruto?"

"What?" He shook his head, ripping himself out of his thoughts, and blinked. "Eh, doable, I suppose? I mean, it's only some mornings, not the entire week and not the entire day either."

She nodded. "That's good. Just make sure you eat well and drink enough. That also means cutting down on the ramen – a lot," she added meaningfully and he glowered at her.

"We'll make sure he won't eat too much ramen," Sakura reassured the older woman and the maniac glint in her green eyes made Naruto start mourning for his ramen stock at home.

"So he doesn't need to come for a check-up next month?" Sasuke inquired; his eyes oddly intense.

The doctor shook her head. "No, not unless something is wrong." She dried off her hands and returned to her desk, flipping a notebook open. "What do you say about the twenty-sixth of March? You can have the slot of five o'clock." She looked up questioningly. "Would that work for all three of you?"

"I haven't received my schedule for that month yet, but it'll be fine," Sakura replied confidently. "That Ino pig owes me some favours anyway, so if it comes to that I can switch shifts with her."

"I can take the time off," Sasuke murmured.

"I've got my last class at three, so that works for me," Naruto muttered, balling up the used paper and throwing them in the small bin next to the monitor. He slid off the examination table, pulling his sweater back down. A pale hand entered his vision and he accepted his jacket after a pause, looking at Sasuke startled.

Black eyes looked away quickly and the man made his way back to the desk, where Sakura had already taken her seat again. Raising an eyebrow, Naruto followed him, slipping back into his jacket.

"Okay, I've scheduled you in," Tsunade mumbled, jotting something down in her notebook.

"Then we're finished for today?" Sakura inquired; her eyes glittering.

"Yes, we're finished," the blonde woman confirmed, before pointing a pen at Naruto, who stiffened. "Except for you – you and I need to have a little talk before you can leave."

"I don't want to keep Deidara-san waiting," Naruto said hastily, remembering that the other blond man had the appointment after him.

She quirked an eyebrow and eyed the clock meaningfully. "I still have ten minutes left. That'll be more than enough," she commented airily, dropping her pen on the desk.

He threw a pleading look at Sasuke and Sakura, but Sakura just snorted, looking way too amused for the predicament he was in, and Sasuke looked back unimpressed.

Traitors, the both of them.

With a huff Naruto sank back down on his chair, crossing his arms petulantly.

"We'll wait for you," Sasuke said calmly. "We'll bring you home so that you won't have to take the bus."

"Don't kill your brother, bastard," Naruto retorted and just like that the glare was back full force on Sasuke's face.

"Thanks for that, Naruto," Sakura sighed, shaking her head, before following her husband out of the room. The door closed with an audible ' _click_ '.

Tsunade didn't beat around the bush. "What the hell were you thinking, brat?" she snapped, throwing herself so roughly back into her chair that the furniture creaked dangerously.

"I was thinking I could help out my friends," he bit out, not at all appreciating her tone.

She rubbed her hands over her face and uttered a sound of frustration. "Naruto, do you actually realise what you got yourself into?" she questioned incredulously.

He threw his hands up in the air, more than fed up by now about the shit he was receiving for this. Why did everyone think they knew better than him? "Yes, I do! I know you think I'm stupid, but I actually know what I'm doing! Shocker, right?" he sneered.

"I don't think you're stupid, brat," she retorted impatiently, glaring at him. "I do think you make the occasional stupid decision, and Naruto, this has got to be one of the stupidest decisions you've made so far. How can you possibly think that this will end well? Why the hell didn't you talk to me about this when I saw you in December?"

"Because you would have tried to change my mind about it!" he exclaimed. "And sorry, baa-chan, but it's not any of your business whether I'm their surrogate or not. I made my decision, they agreed, and now it's done."

"Look, Naruto, I understand that you want to help your friends, but this is rather extreme," she sighed and regarded him wearily. "You might think you know what you're doing, but you're underestimating the impact this will have on you."

"I'll be fine," he brought out through gritted teeth; his nails digging into the soft flesh of his palms when he balled his hands. "I know what I'm doing, okay? This pregnancy – I'm not going to change my mind, I promise. Once the baby is born, I'll hand him or her over to Sasuke and Sakura and everything will be fine. I just want to help them out, baa-chan. They deserve to have a baby and I can give them that."

"God, Naruto, you …" she trailed off, shaking her head. She stared at the ceiling for a moment before releasing another sigh and lowering her head to look at him again. "Fine. Just – if you need someone to talk to about this, you can talk to me, okay?"

"I know," he said, relaxing slowly. "I'll be okay," he repeated, hoping to reassure her.

Judging by the look on her face, he wasn't successful.

* * *

When Naruto entered the waiting room again, he noted that Itachi was still alive – but Sasuke's face didn't promise anything good.

"Sooooo," he said slowly, looking back and forth between the two brothers, "had a good talk?"

"We figured it would be easier if we waited until after Deidara-san's appointment to have the talk," Sakura said, smiling uncomfortably. Her fingers were wrapped around Sasuke's wrist and she was sitting ramrod straight in her chair.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife.

"So what? You've sat in silence all this time?" Naruto asked incredulously and was met with one warning look – Sakura -, one weary pair of blue eyes – Deidara – and two identical glares – Sasuke and Itachi.

"You guys are unbelievable," Naruto muttered exasperatedly and took the seat next to Sasuke. "Are we going to wait here then until the appointment is finished or?"

"Perhaps it would be easier if we meet at someplace else," Itachi said; his face as unreadable as always. "What do you say about meeting at the Three White Flowers?"

"Suits me," Sasuke replied flatly, sitting as immobile as a statue.

A knock on the door made them all turn their heads. Shizune was there again with her clipboard once more in her hand. "Uchiha-san? I've got another Uchiha-san for five o'clock?" she announced confused; her gaze darting between Naruto and Deidara and Itachi.

"That's us," Deidara smiled and stood up, tugging Itachi along with him. Whether it was coincidence or not, he kept himself between Itachi and the others as they followed Shizune outside.

"You don't have to wait," Sasuke told Naruto as soon as the door had swung shut. "I can drive you home if you want."

The blond man quirked an eyebrow. "Like hell you will," he snorted, crossing his arms. "Someone has to make sure you stay civilized. Besides, I want to hear his reasons too."

He had witnessed with his own eyes how much Itachi loved his little brother. For him not to have been in contact with the younger man for ten years … He had to have good reasons for that. He _better_ had good reasons.

"You want to make sure I stay civilized?" Sasuke repeated incredulously, shaking off Sakura's hand. "Who's the one who got into fights when we were younger?"

"Oh please, like you were such an angel." Blue eyes rolled and Naruto rose up. "Come on, let's go. We can order something to drink while we wait."

"Fine," Sasuke ground out, standing up as well. "But don't get involved; getting agitated won't do you any good now."

"Well then, you best stay civilized then, hm?" Naruto chirped, waggling his finger.

"The both of you behave," Sakura muttered, snatching her purse from the chair. "Let's go. We still have a bit before their appointment is over."

And then things would become interesting; that Naruto was sure about.

* * *

Itachi looked as composed as ever when he sat down on the chair across from Sakura. Deidara chose the seat next to him, ending up right across from Naruto.

"First, I want to introduce you to my fiancé, Deidara," Itachi said calmly. "Deidara, you've met Naruto-kun; this is my brother Sasuke and …" he trailed off, frowning slightly as he studied Sakura.

The pink haired woman reddened a bit before inclining her head. "I'm Sakura, his wife."

"Nice to meet you, un, " Deidara smiled, but there was a hint of nerves audible in his voice.

"Can I get you something to drink?" The waitress popped up next to them, looking at the newly arrived couple expectantly.

"Water is fine," Deidara replied with a smile.

"Black tea," Itachi ordered and as soon as the waitress left, he turned back to Sasuke and let out a small sigh. "Ask any question you want."

"How gracious of you," Sasuke said snidely and the older Uchiha clenched his jaw. "Why the hell didn't you try to get into contact with me?"

He sounded angry, verging on being rude, but Naruto caught the brief flash of hurt in dark eyes and he pressed his lips together, wishing he could offer his friend some comfort. Save for that one time Sasuke had raged and lashed out a week after Itachi had left, he had never mentioned his older brother again. Naruto knew his best friend well enough, however, to know that the dark haired man had always carried the hope that his older brother would come back one day.

That Itachi hadn't seemingly seen the need to contact his brother once in all those years had to hurt immensely.

Itachi's face darkened and Deidara looked down; a grimace painting his features. "I didn't want to mess up your life."

Sasuke snorted harshly; his fingers tightening around his own cup of tea. "Mess up my life? How huge is your ego that you think you'd be able to - "

"I know you remember how focused father was on me and how little he paid attention to you," Itachi interrupted him and abruptly Sasuke quietened; his face smoothing out into pure blankness. "I had urged father for years to pay more attention to you and your success' but he was … persistent. Until I told him I'm gay."

The older man was silent for the time it took the waitress to place their orders on the table, but the moment she was gone, he continued, "I'm certain you can recall the fights between father and me about my preferences. He gave me an ultimatum: either I stopped being a disgrace to the family or I would no longer be considered part of it."

Sakura uttered a soft noise of shock, her eyes wide, but Naruto wasn't that surprised. Fugaku had never been an easy man and he was very traditional; he would never have accepted one of his children being gay. Itachi being given that particular ultimatum was right in the line of what Naruto had expected from Fugaku.

"I wasn't about to live a life full of lies, so I left," Itachi went on, sounding unbothered by his father's refusal to accept him. "Mother called me a couple of times after that, but I knew she had got into trouble with father for it, so I decided that it was better if I cut all ties with the family. With me gone, I knew father would focus on you – the only son who didn't disappoint him."

A bitter smile graced his lips. "While being father's focus is never pleasant, it's still better than facing his displeasure. Sasuke, if I hadn't known how badly father would have reacted, I would have kept in touch with you. I didn't want to mess up the relationship between you two, so I decided it would be better if I didn't try to contact you again." For the first time since they had encountered each other in the waiting room, a hint of pain slipped in his voice. "I didn't want to leave you behind, but you don't deserve to face father's wrath either."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sasuke whispered and his eyes were practically burning. "You arrogant son of a bitch! I don't need your bloody protection from father! If you really didn't want to leave me behind, you'd have found a way to contact me!"

Looking paler than before, Itachi started, "Sasuke, I …"

"You think being the object of father's attention was fun these past ten years? You think he got better after you left? Well guess what, _nii-san_ ," Sasuke sneered, baring his teeth. "He didn't! He still thinks he can run other people's lives. If you had fucking stayed, you could have hel – you know what?" He breathed out harshly and suddenly shot up. "Why do I even care? You made your choice, I get it. Enjoy the rest of your life, arsehole!"

Several other patrons stared as Sasuke stormed out of the café; the door banging shut behind him, causing the windows to rattle with the force.

"Well, that could have gone better, un," Deidara stated blankly.

Wasn't that the understatement of the year?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Ah, drama ~ So yes, normally you'll get to see more Uchiha next chapter.
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the 28th of July.
> 
> See you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: So after checking the timeline I created for this fic, I realised that I somehow managed to completely skip over the month February- meaning that my timeline got somewhat messed up and I had to adjust some events that were planned. So the meeting of the other Uchiha won't take place yet in this story but most likely in the next one *crosses fingers* I corrected the timeline; now it all depends on how big the scenes grow. 
> 
> Anyway, so yeah, no meeting the other Uchiha yet, sorry *winces*
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and the comments! I really appreciate them!
> 
> Warnings: hm, nothing in particular. Just some foul language and some minor time skips
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 10_

"You're an idiot," Naruto stated bluntly; balling his hands into fists.

Black eyes narrowed slightly. "I did what I thought was best for Sasuke," Itachi started.

"How about you had left the decision to Sasuke as to whether or not he wanted to risk contacting you?" Naruto spat; anger on behalf of his best friend filling him swiftly. "You know how much he loves you and you think you have the right to make decisions in his stead?"

"Naruto, don't," Sakura murmured, but he ignored her.

"No, Sakura-chan, the arsehole here needs to hear this," the blond growled, turning back to Itachi. "You didn't have any right to just cut off all contact between you! You should have left it up to Sasuke to decide whether - "

"You don't know how bad father can become when - "

"Oh yes, it's not like I was never there when the old man started ranting! I know perfectly well how bad your father can get, Itachi, but that's still not an excuse to cut off all contact. If you really cared about him, you'd have found a way!" Naruto snarled and rose up, shoving his chair backwards with a loud 'SCREECH'.

"Naruto, where the hell are you going?" Sakura demanded, looking ready to stand up too.

"I'm going after Sasuke before I punch this bastard!" he bit out and marched out of the café before either one could stop him.

Once outside the cold wind smacked him in his face and he shivered; eyes shooting back and forth as he tried to figure out where Sasuke could have gone. He wouldn't have left with his car; not when he thought that Sakura and Naruto were both still at the café. He wouldn't remain in the centre either, but would try to search for a quiet spot.

With that in mind Naruto turned left and walked down the street, recalling that there was a park nearby. On his way there, he took his phone out of his pocket and dialled Sasuke's number. He didn't think the other man would pick up, not in the mood he was in now, and he was proven right.

" _Hello. You have reached Uchiha Sasuke. I'm not available right now, but please leave your message behind after the beep."_

Naruto ended the call before the beep could come and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Sasuke must be more upset than he had initially thought if he even went as far as shutting off his phone. For a brief moment Naruto wondered whether it would be such a good idea to seek out Sasuke now. Clearly the dark haired man didn't want to be found, but the blond realised he didn't want his best friend to be alone right now. Not after the way he had left the café.

The further he walked down the street, the less people there were around him. It was a bit past six and most people were going home or stopping by a pub. The streetlights illuminated the sidewalk and dark shadows pooled between each light; cars casting a shadow of their own as they drove by.

At the end of the street he turned left again, entering a quiet neighbourhood. On the other side of the street a man just exited his car and was welcomed by his wife. An old man was walking a bit further with his dog, tugging the animal closer to him when it looked like it wanted to step out onto the street.

The small park was right at the end of this street and the sign stated that it remained open until eight thirty. That should give him enough time to find Sasuke and return with him. Despite his streak of adventure, he wasn't looking forward to spending the night locked in the park with the weather still going below zero.

Burrowing his face deeper into his scarf, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his new jacket. While the jacket Sakura had given him offered a good buffer against the cold, he couldn't deny wanting to get out of the freezing weather as soon as possible.

The park looked abandoned when he walked through the gate; no surprise, given the hour and the low temperature. Here there was only a streetlamp every sixteen feet and the road was painted a dull orange underneath each light. Something in the bushes rustled and over his head flew two pigeons, disappearing into the darkness of the trees lining up along the road.

He followed the road deeper into the park, watching his breath form white clouds, passing by empty banks. Right when he started thinking he had been wrong after all and Sasuke had chosen to go somewhere else, he took notice of a lone figure sitting on a bank just around a curve into the road.

Dark eyes flicked up at him when he halted in front of the man. "What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked annoyed.

Whether the annoyance was the result of his conversation with Itachi or because Naruto had sought him out, the blond couldn't guess. Naruto plopped down next to him, leaning back, and shrugged.

"Wanted to know how you're doing now," he murmured and sighed. "The conversation with Itachi went splendid, don't you think?"

"I just – I can't believe the nerve of him!" Sasuke growled, running a hand through his hair, and he leant forwards. "Who does he think he is, making decisions for me?"

Naruto nodded. "That's what I told him as well," he paused and coughed, adding, "Well, in a slightly more colourful way."

"What did you do?" A black eyebrow rose up.

"I might have, you know, called him a bastard, an arsehole and an idiot. And might have let him know I wanted to punch him in the face." Naruto looked away, his cheeks colouring and warming with embarrassment.

Sasuke snorted loudly. "Bet his face was priceless," he smirked.

Naruto chanced a smile of his own. "Wouldn't know. I left before I could see his reaction," he admitted. He hesitated for a moment, debating whether it would be smart to pursue the next topic or not. "Do you – do you think you want to keep in contact now?"

 _Now that you're no longer living under your father's roof?_ was the unspoken question that followed the first one.

Sasuke breathed out slowly; his eyes cast upwards to the dark sky. "I don't know," he answered slowly. "I'm pissed off at him now, but …" he trailed off, looking conflicted.

Naruto understood what he was not saying; here was a chance for Sasuke to reconnect with his brother after not having seen him for years. However, knowing that Itachi had deliberately cut off contact with his younger brother wasn't an easy pill to swallow. _Conflicted_ probably didn't even begin to describe how Sasuke must be feeling right now.

He cleared his throat and scratched his right cheek. "Maybe – maybe you could ask for his number? And call him when you feel ready to talk again?"

Dark eyes regarded him oddly and he pulled up his shoulders, feeling oddly attacked. "What?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing, just … It's a good idea," Sasuke muttered contemplatively. "I'll do that. If he refuses … Well, I guess I'll have my answer then."

"Not exactly the way you thought this evening would go after seeing the baby, huh?" Naruto quipped, but his smile was weak and he felt a tad weary.

Black eyes sharpened and narrowed slightly. "No, not at all," Sasuke said curtly and curled his hand around Naruto's right arm, pulling him up with him as he rose from the bank. "And you shouldn't be outside now. Do you want to get ill? You should have stayed at the café, I would have come back," he reprimanded him, tugging the blond man along as he made way to the entrance.

Naruto squawked indignantly, pulling his arm out of his friend's grasp. "I'm not that fragile, you know!" he protested, scowling at the older man. "I don't get sick that easily, remember? Besides, someone had to come pull your brooding arse out of the cold!"

Sasuke shook his head impatiently. "You're taking care of two now, idiot, so you have to be more careful."

Naruto opened his mouth, ready to object once more, but closed it again almost immediately when his mind remained blank, no rebuttal to be found.

And really, what did one say to a comment like that?

* * *

"So any news on the Uchiha show?" Gaara drawled.

Blue eyes rolled in exasperation. "I wish you wouldn't call it that," Naruto sighed and approached his mailbox, fishing through his pocket for the small key.

"Why not? It certainly has all the dramatics of a regular soap series," Gaara retorted with a quiet snort.

"Yeah, well, Sasuke has his reasons," Naruto muttered, fumbling with the key and the lock until it finally opened. "Last I heard, Sasuke has called Itachi once and they made another attempt at talking."

"I'm guessing that didn't go spectacularly?" the red haired man hummed and there was the vague background noise of typing.

"Are you working on your manuscript?" Naruto inquired distracted as he riffled through the post that had accumulated in the mailbox. "And no, no, it didn't go fantastic. Still better than the first time, though."

"Yeah, got hit by inspiration just now," Gaara replied. "Maybe in a few more months they'll be able to talk like civilised human beings."

"Gaara," Naruto said disapprovingly and frowned when his fingers thumped against a thick package. "What the …"

"What's wrong?"

"Give me a sec," the blond muttered and unearthed the thick envelope from the box, flipping it over so he could take a look at the sender's name. "Sasuke sent me something," he mumbled confused, staring at the neat handwriting.

"Why would he sent you something with the mail? It's not like you haven't seen him lately," Gaara pointed out lightly.

"Yeah, well, guess I'll figure it out soon. I'm heading up to my apartment now," Naruto replied, stuffing the envelope underneath his armpit and locking the mailbox again.

"I'll leave you to it then," Gaara said, knowing that their call would be cut off as soon as Naruto set a foot on the stairs. For some reason there was no reception there and no matter how many complaints the landlord got, he did nothing about it.

"Talk to you later," Naruto replied and after saying their goodbyes he hung up, slipping his phone into his pocket.

The package crinkled when he made his way upstairs and his bag bumped against his hip with every step he took. His front door was pushed close with his foot; his bag dropped on the floor and the mail put on the table. He removed his jacket and scarf and plopped down on the chair, pulling Sasuke's mysterious package to him.

"Now what did you sent me, hm?" Naruto hummed quietly, plucking at an opening he found in the top flap until he could get the tip of his finger in it. From there opening the envelope was easy and he folded the top flap – or what remained of it – out of the way. He flipped the envelope upside down and out of it a file fell.

Well, not a file, he realised when he picked it up. Several pages – at least thirty if not more – had been stapled together and the front page read ' _Healthy dishes when you're pregnant_ '. It had clearly been printed from some kind of informative site.

"You've got to be shitting me," Naruto muttered incredulously as he leaved through the pages, coming across colourful salads, nutritious dinner dishes, breakfast meant to settle an upset stomach, and even healthy desserts.

What the hell was this?

"What is the meaning of this?" Naruto demanded the second Sasuke picked up his phone.

There was a short pause, before the other man answered dryly, "I assume you received my package."

"Yes, I did, so what the hell, man?" the blond man complained, staring dismayed at the booklet in front of him.

"I know you can read, Naruto," Sasuke retorted patiently. "What does it look like?"

"You and Sakura-chan already took away practically all my ramen, isn't that enough?" Naruto whined, gazing forlornly at the cupboards which until two weeks ago had been filled to the brim with ramen cups.

Sakura had been looking way too gleeful in his opinion when she had swept the cups into a large garbage bag.

"You need to eat healthy, Naruto," Sasuke sighed. "This is just something to help you out."

"But - "

"Unless you want me to come pick you up every evening to have dinner at our place? Sakura might even give you your breakfast and lunch in Tupperware boxes," Sasuke continued and the blond man could swear his friend was enjoying this.

"You wouldn't dare," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes.

"Try me," was the dry retort.

The booklet was subjected to a fierce glower and fingers tapped erratically on the top page. "Fine, but I don't think I even have half of the ingredients that are listed in this thing," Naruto remarked aggravated, leaning back into his chair.

"Which is why I'm picking you up tomorrow to go grocery shopping," Sasuke replied calmly.

The younger man stilled. "I don't have that much money," he admitted reluctantly, feeling shame squirm inside of him. He wasn't exactly dirt poor, but he definitely didn't have the money to buy all the ingredients which were needed for the dishes – not if he still wanted to pay his rent at least.

"I already told you I would be helping you out financially, Naruto," Sasuke said firmly, clucking his tongue.

"Yes, but that was for things like the check-ups! Food is something else and I'm not going to be your charity case, Sasuke," Naruto bit out, running a hand through his hair.

"You're not a charity case, damn it, Naruto," Sasuke growled; annoyance lingering in his voice. "I've never considered you to be a charity case. If you're going to be so difficult about it, just think of it like this: the food is meant for both you _and the baby_. I'm just taking care of my child and in extension you too, okay?"

Everything in Naruto rallied against accepting Sasuke's money like that; it felt too much like being treated like a charity case, as if he didn't have enough money to take care of himself.

 _You don't have enough money to take care of yourself and the baby_ , a voice in the back of his mind piped up and he grimaced, worrying his lip between his teeth.

It was true that he no longer only needed to take care of himself, but also the baby who was growing inside of him. Eating ramen and cheap take-out definitely wasn't a good way of taking care of the baby and as it was Sasuke's – and Sakura's – child, the other man definitely had a say in what kind of nutrition was given to the baby.

Still, it stung to have to accept Sasuke's money, because he couldn't afford the ingredients with his own pay check …

"Fine," he muttered sullenly, dropping his hand on his lap. "When are you picking me up?"

There was a bout of silence before Sasuke answered, "Be ready by eight thirty."

Well, at least he would finally be able to eat decent food. Silver linings and all that.

* * *

February passed by in a blink with Naruto busying himself with teaching his classes, meeting up with his friends – reassuring Sakura and Sasuke that yes he was preparing the dishes from the booklet and no, he wasn't eating ramen more than once a week, don't worry - and needling Jiraiya for information regarding the mysterious friend. So far he hadn't had much luck and he was seriously starting to consider going through Jiraiya's mail and phone just to find _something_.

March did its entry with a lot of rain, but no more freezing weather and the mild weather allowed Naruto to leave his scarf at home. He did still wear the jacket, though, because while it might no longer be freezing, that didn't mean that the weather had grown soft enough to go without a jacket.

With the new month there was also Sakura's birthday to look forward to and his second check-up with Tsunade, which would take place two days before Sakura's birthday party. Her birthday would be celebrated at Uchiha Manor and Naruto was decidedly not looking forward to that. Uchiha Manor meant meeting Mikoto and Fugaku and while Mikoto was a sweet woman, someone he considered to be his second mother, he really didn't want to see Fugaku again. Not now he was pregnant, not with knowing how Fugaku thought about people like him.

He couldn't not go, however. He wouldn't disappoint Sakura on her birthday; he would just need to shoulder on and get through the day while keeping his distance from the Uchiha patriarch. Who knew? Maybe he was worrying too much and Fugaku would be content with the knowledge that he would have a grandchild, even if the means were unconventional to say the least.

Or maybe Naruto should be realistic. Regardless, whether he wanted it to or not, the party was going to take place at the Uchiha Manor and he should just suck it up. He could do that for Sakura.

Now he just needed to find a present for his pink haired friend – which was easier said than done as it turned out to be.

* * *

"Can I assume that Sakura-chan is pissed off she has to miss this check-up?" Naruto asked lightly when he opened the door and slid into the seat next to Sasuke.

The dark haired man snorted and started the car again after the door was closed. "She sounded ready to throw something – or someone," he added, shaking his head. "Yamanaka would be smart to stay out of her way for at least the next two weeks."

Naruto winced, feeling sorry for the nurse he hadn't met. A pissed off Sakura was not a nice sight and she could hold a grudge like no one else.

Today was his second check-up with Tsunade and both Sasuke and Sakura were supposed to join him. Right at the last minute, though, Sakura had been asked to do a double shift, because they were a few nurses short, forcing her to miss the appointment. Naruto could only imagine how pissed off she must be right now and was infinitely glad he wasn't near her at the moment.

"How are you feeling now?" Sasuke inquired, taking a right turn.

"I'm fine. The morning sickness seems to have completely stopped now," Naruto told him, absentmindedly placing a hand on his stomach. His jacket was thick enough to show nothing at the moment, but at four months pregnant, his stomach was slightly swollen, just big enough to be covered by his hand. It was weird and a bit … disconcerting to no longer see or feel a flat stomach, but instead a gentle swelling, but …

It wasn't bad. It felt a bit nice even, strange as that was to admit.

"No longer forced to worship the porcelain god?" Sasuke teased; his eyes glinting amused when he glanced at his friend.

He received a soft punch against his arm for his remark and he smirked.

"Maybe I should have thrown up on you; see if you'd have liked it," Naruto huffed and turned his head to look out of the window, watching cars and tall buildings flash by.

The loud buzzing noise indicating an incoming text message started him and he swivelled his head towards Sasuke. "You want me to check who texted you?" he offered.

"Yeah. It's not Sakura, because she would have called," Sasuke muttered, speeding up slightly to pass two cars. "It's in the right pocket of my jacket."

Naruto nodded and dipped his fingers into the aforementioned pocket, steadfastly ignoring how warm the jacket felt thanks to Sasuke's body heat. He pulled the phone out of it and pressed on the home button, swiping to the right to unlock the phone completely.

' _1 new message_ ' glared right back at him and he tapped on it. His eyebrows shot up when his eyes fell on the sender's name.

"It's from Itachi," he said slowly. Judging by the small bar on the right side of the screen, the two brothers had been exchanging quite some messages with each other.

Hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. "What does it say?" Sasuke inquired, deceptively calm, looking straight ahead with a blank face.

"He says he wants to meet with you," Naruto replied, casting a cautious glance at the man next to him. He licked his lips and went on, "Says you can choose the time and the place. Do you want me to type a reply in your place?"

Sasuke slowly breathed out. "No," he decided after a small pause. "I'll answer later; it's fine."

"Okay." Naruto locked the phone and dropped it in Sasuke's pocket, folding his hands over his stomach. "How, eh, how are you two doing now?" he questioned uncertainly.

Sasuke's lips thinned and he ran a hand through his hair. "It's … We're working on it. We've been mainly texting each other," he admitted.

"So no physical fights yet?"

The shadow of a faint smile hovered across pale pink lips. "No physical fights yet," Sasuke confirmed.

"Good, that's good to hear. Just so you know, in case of a fight, I'd be totally rooting for you," Naruto said solemnly.

"Good to hear I have your support," Sasuke retorted and his smile grew a bit more pronounced.

Naruto counted that as a win. At least the dark eyed man was reacting a bit more positively towards the mention of his older brother; progress was being made.

They arrived at Tsunade's practice a couple of minutes later and after Sasuke had found a decent parking spot they made their way to the building, avoiding the puddles on the sidewalk as much as they could. They had arrived with a few minutes to spare, but as soon as they opened the door, Shizune appeared in the hallway with her ever present friendly smile on her face.

"If you want, you can go inside. Tsunade-sama is ready," she informed them.

"Well, that's easy," Naruto muttered and they entered Tsunade's office, finding her setting up the monitor already.

"Ah, Naruto, Uchiha-san," she greeted them, straightening up and stepping away from the monitor. She walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled on some gloves. "How have you been doing, Naruto?"

"Fine, the nausea seems to have finally stopped," he told her and slipped off his jacket.

"That's good to hear," she hummed and beckoned him towards the scales. "Stand on the scales for a moment. I'm going to check your weight."

After weighing him and checking his vitals she directed him to the examination table.

"Let us see how the baby is doing, hm?" she said, grabbing the transducer. "Lay down and pull up your sweater, please. Remember, this will be a bit cold."

His stomach muscles contracted a bit at the sensation of the cold gel being smeared on top of it, but he was more prepared now and the coldness didn't take him by surprise anymore. The transducer was placed on top of his stomach and gently pressed down while Tsunade slowly slid it around. She bent closer to the screen and let out a satisfied sound.

"Looks like the baby is doing quite well," she smiled, sliding the transducer to Naruto's lower stomach. "See here? This is the head and this is the body. These are the arms."

Naruto cocked his head and to his surprise he could actually distinguish the form of the baby on the screen. Two months before it had been nothing but a blob, but now it was clearly a little human, waving his or her arms around.

"During the next check-up I'll be able to tell with more certainty whether you're expecting a boy or a girl, but so far it's looking good," Tsunade continued satisfied.

"You hear that, Sasuke? Guess the recipes are doing their job," Naruto grinned, turning his head to look at his friend. He blinked when he noticed how transfixed black eyes were staring at his bared stomach and he felt himself flush; a hint of embarrassment creeping up on him. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke blinked rapidly and shook his head, fixing his attention on the screen. "Sorry, I didn't realise you were already showing," he mumbled and cleared his throat. He addressed Tsunade, who raised an eyebrow. "So you can't determine the sex yet?"

She shook her head, bringing the transducer a bit higher. "No, it will be easier to check it during the fifth month. Besides the baby has turned away now, so I wouldn't be able to check either way."

"But the baby is fine, right?" Naruto asked for confirmation, his eyes gluing themselves onto the screen against his will.

 _That_ was the baby growing inside of him, looking more and more like a human with every day that passed. His stomach did an odd flip at the thought and he swallowed.

"The baby is doing fine," she confirmed. "Growing as expected. You want me to print some pictures of the ultrasound or do you want to wait for the next month?"

"Print them," Sasuke replied instantly; his gaze still studying the screen intently. "It'll be something to pacify Sakura for a bit." The corners of his mouth twitched a bit.

Tsunade nodded and set about printing the pictures.

Ten minutes later they were outside again; Naruto fiddling with his zipper while waiting for Sasuke to end his call with whoever had wanted to speak to him when they had just closed the door behind them.

The annoyed grunt escaping the dark haired man made Naruto look up and he raised an eyebrow in a silent inquiry as to what was wrong.

"I have to go back to the office for a bit," Sasuke explained; a heavy frown cleaving his forehead in two. "Some idiots have fucked up an important file and they need my help to fix it."

"Okay, good luck with that," Naruto said, smiling sympathetically.

"I can still drop you off at home," Sasuke offered, already snatching his car keys out of his pocket.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm planning on doing a bit of shopping before I go home. I still need to buy a present for Sakura-chan," Naruto admitted sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Good luck with that," Sasuke echoed with a smirk. "Come on, I'll drop you off at the main street."

They both ignored the way dark eyes fell on Naruto's belly, hidden behind his jacket – even if it made Naruto's stomach do a funny flip.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Naruto found himself surrounded by various shops and with no clue whatsoever what to buy for his friend. A gustily sigh left him and he grimaced, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. This was what he got for procrastinating the search for gifts. He only had one more day left to find a gift and he had no idea at all what to give to the pink haired woman.

Another piece of clothing? That would be stupid, he quickly decided, and besides he wouldn't know what kind of clothing to buy for Sakura. Scarves and gloves were safe, but actual clothing? Yeah, no, it was better to stay clear from that.

Still he needed to find something and soon; he couldn't show up empty handed on her birthday!

Something brightly coloured attracted his attention and he blinked, turning around. He found himself standing in front of a store called Kodomo Boutique. There were three pregnant mannequins to his left, dressed in cute dresses and sweaters and skirts, showing off their bump, and various baby furniture to the right, including a dresser and a pink coloured bed. There was also a white pram right in front of him, which contained a plastic baby dressed in a white onesie with the words ' _World's Best Mum!_ ' stitched in the middle with bright blue thread.

Without realising it, his hand drifted down to cover his stomach as he studied the onesie carefully. What if he …

"Uzumaki-san? Is that you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: *dramatic drumroll* Now who could that be? ~
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> For the ones interested: I wrote Sasuke's pov of The Big Day in honour of his birthday last weekend. It's called The Last Chance if anyone wants to read it :)
> 
> Next chapter of this fic will be posted on the eleventh of August.
> 
> See you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: So we finally get to meet some other Uchiha XD It only took us an extra couple of chapters to reach this event LOL
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: none that I can think of 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!  
> Special thanks to Meehalla for giving me the ideas for some of the gifts!

_Chapter 11_

Naruto startled and whirled around; his heart skipping a beat at hearing his name unexpectedly being called out. Baby blue eyes looked back at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry, un," Deidara said apologetically. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine. I just hadn't expected to bump into someone I know," Naruto chuckled ruefully; glancing quickly at the way Deidara's jacket clearly couldn't hide his bulging belly anymore. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine, un," Deidara smiled, stepping closer. "You?"

"Can't complain." The younger blond shrugged; eyes drifting back towards the display in the shop.

"You starting on the nursery?" Deidara's smile was knowing as he followed the other man's gaze towards the shop.

"What? Oh no! Eh, it's not … I'm not going to make the nursery. Well, I suppose I could help but …" Naruto trailed off, feeling flustered as he tried to figure out how he should explain that he wouldn't be the one putting together the nursery for the baby.

The older man blinked bemused, obviously unable to follow Naruto's rambling. "Why don't we go get a drink, un?" he suggested lightly, nodding at the little café on the other side of the street. "I could do with something warm now."

"Yeah, sure," Naruto muttered, casting another look at the onesie before he followed Deidara towards the café.

While Deidara ordered a cup of Earl Grey tea, Naruto chose hot chocolate milk and as soon as they both had their drinks they made their way to the back of the café. Some people looked up when they passed their tables, staring wide eyed at Deidara's stomach, but the older blond appeared unbothered by it.

"So," Deidara started when they both had taken a seat. "Seeing as you're not putting together the nursery – is your partner going to do it, un?"

"Oh, eh, I don't have a partner," Naruto blurted out and his cheeks heated up. Instantly he was ready to hit himself. Instead of going along with Deidara's assumption and making this all easier for himself, he just had to go and be honest. He was only making it more complicated.

Great. Just great.

The older blond was visibly surprised by that answer and he stopped stirring his tea. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to assume, un," he said and his cheeks darkened a bit. Then he furrowed his eyebrows and sat up a bit straighter. "Wait, didn't you have an appointment with Tsunade-sensei under the name Uchiha?"

"Eh, yeah, I did," Naruto admitted and winced. Yep, he was stupid. Crap, why couldn't he have just made up some partner?

"But Itachi's brother is married to Haruno-san," Deidara continued slowly and he appeared perplexed as he tried to fit the pieces together. "Did you sleep with another Uchiha then?" Immediately he reddened fiercely and his eyes widened. "Oh god, forget what I asked, un! I'm sorry, that's really none of my business! Sometimes my brain to mouth filter is absolute shit, un."

His last remark startled Naruto into laughing. "It's fine, really. I'm not that much better to be honest," he confessed with a grin.

"Still, I shouldn't have asked that, un." Deidara shook his head, looking embarrassed.

Naruto fiddled with the ear of his mug and cleared his throat. "It's not … I didn't sleep with another Uchiha," he murmured; all traces of laughter vanished.

"But the appointment was under Uchiha," Deidara repeated confused and his eyes grew wide once more. "Are you in a polygamous relationship with Haruno-san and Itachi's brother, un?" he blurted out.

"What?!" Naruto screeched and his face went up in flames when everyone swivelled their head into his direction. He grimaced and waved apologetically. "Sorry!"

Some people threw him a glare and the barista was eyeing him warily, but after a few seconds the conversations in the café resumed and people turned around again.

His face still feeling hot, he hissed, "No, I'm not! They're my best friends!"

Deidara held up his hands. "Sorry, un. I just figured …" he trailed off and shook his head with a grimace; his ponytail swishing back and forth across his back. "No, I'm really sorry. This is none of my business even if you had a relationship like that with them. I apologise, Uzumaki-san; I went too far with that question."

He tugged at a lock of his hair and sighed. "Seems like I'm better off keeping my mouth shut because I seem to put my foot in it every time I open it," he murmured ruefully.

Naruto considered him thoughtfully, wrapping his hand around his mug. It would be easy to shut this train of conversation down right now. Deidara was right: it wasn't any of his business who the father of Naruto's baby was and why he had an appointment under the Uchiha's name when he wasn't together with any of them. They were also still basically strangers. They had only talked to each other once and that time hadn't ended on a particularly good note.

He didn't know Deidara and Deidara didn't know him. He had no obligation whatsoever to explain what was going on. Yet …

There was a part of Naruto that wanted to confide in the older man. A part which wanted to explain what was really going on and longed to hear the blond's opinion on it. A part of him – larger than he liked to admit – that just wanted to know that someone would be on his side in all this.

Sasuke and Sakura didn't count; they were too involved after all. Both Jiraiya and Gaara had made it quite clear what they thought about the situation. Even Iruka had reacted weakly towards it when Naruto had finally come clean about the pregnancy a couple of weeks ago. He still met up with his former teacher occasionally and it would be difficult to hide his weight gain after a while. Iruka hadn't reacted angrily – something Naruto had secretly feared – but instead had been quite worried about the impact it would have on Naruto.

It was as if everyone who knew about it thought that he couldn't handle it. Just once he'd like to hear someone support him wholeheartedly without any if's and or but's.

But could he trust Deidara with this? Sasuke and Sakura didn't like other people knowing they were having trouble conceiving – which was normal of course. The best thing to do would be to keep his mouth shut now and just change the subject.

It was just …

If Itachi was with this guy, he couldn't be that bad, right? Despite the shitty way he had treated Sasuke these past ten years, the older man did know how to read people well.

He just needed someone to talk to, someone who didn't know him well and could be objective – was that so bad?

"It's … Sasuke and Sakura-chan are having trouble conceiving," he murmured, rubbing his index finger over the rim of his mug.

"Oh." Deidara appeared taken aback by the admission. "I'm sorry to hear that, un."

"Yeah, so when they told me … I offered to be their surrogate," Naruto admitted hesitatingly.

The older man inhaled sharply. "So your baby is Sasuke-san's?"

He nodded silently, wrapping both his hands around his mug; feeling the warmth of it sting his palms. He steeled himself for the inevitable judgement that would follow now.

"Well," Deidara said, sounding thoughtful. "I don't think I would be able to hand over my baby to other people, but they're really lucky to have you as their friend, un. It's amazing that you're doing something like this for them."

The sincerity in his voice made Naruto snap his head up and he stared in disbelief at the other man. "You're not going to tell me I'm being an idiot for doing that?" he asked perplexed.

Blue eyes gazed at him bemused. "Why would I call you an idiot, un?" Deidara questioned surprised. "I don't know you that well and I don't have any say over your decisions. If you think you can handle it, then I believe you, un. Like I said I think it's great that you're willing to do this for your friends!"

"Thanks," Naruto said and smiled gratefully, finding himself relax completely in the older man's presence. At least _someone_ believed he was able to handle this. Even if that someone was a person he didn't know that well, that didn't diminish the warm feeling Deidara's words called up in him.

"You're welcome, un," Deidara smiled back confused.

* * *

When Naruto went home that evening, there was a new number added to his phone together with the promise to meet up soon.

* * *

Taking public transport on a Sunday was always quite the hassle, but Naruto managed to reach the Uchiha Manor by taking three buses and walking for twenty minutes. Sasuke had offered to pick him up, but Naruto had declined to the dark haired man's immense frustration. He appreciated his friend's offer, but he couldn't keep relying on him for rides. He had managed to get by with public transport before, so he didn't see why he couldn't continue doing that now.

Sasuke's cousin, Shisui, opened the door with a small smile. "Naruto-kun," he greeted warmly, ushering him inside. "It's been a while since I saw you."

"Yeah, I've been busy with classes," Naruto answered with a nervous smile. _That and avoiding your uncle and aunt_ , he added mentally.

Today he could no longer avoid them, though. He couldn't say he was looking forward to seeing them again, even if Mikoto would be the least of his worries.

"Well, it's great to see you again," the older Uchiha stated sincerely before he was whisked away by yet another Uchiha cousin named Obito.

Obito offered a hasty wave at the blond before he pulled Shisui with him. "Dude, you have to come with me now," the spiky haired man babbled nervously. "If mum finds out what I accidentally did, she's going to kill me!"

"What," Shisui said flatly, but Obito refused to say anything else and merely dragged him along to whatever mishap he had created this time. Last time he had smashed a ball through a window when he had been playing baseball with some of the younger children. Naruto was a bit afraid to ask what he had done now.

A long haired brunette passed by him, offering him a smile and a wave. "Hello, Uzumaki-san, it's nice to see you again!" Izumi chirped before one of the younger children – maybe nine year old Akira, Naruto wasn't certain – snatched her hand and dragged her off, exclaiming, "You've got to see this, Izumi-nee-san!"

Well, at least the manor was lively today. If Naruto was lucky he could escape in the crowd before Fugaku would get a chance to talk to him.

"Excuse me, where do I put the presents?" Naruto asked when an older man appeared in the hallway. It could be Setsuna, a distant older cousin – or was it uncle? Naruto couldn't keep track of all the ways the Uchiha were related – of Sasuke, but frankly the Uchiha clan was so big, the blond man had trouble remembering the name of each member. He had never talked with Setsuna before, though, so he supposed he could be forgiven for not really recognising him.

"You can leave them on the table in the dining room," the older man drawled before disappearing into the kitchen.

"All right then," Naruto mumbled underneath his breath as he slipped into the aforementioned room. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight of the small mountain of presents towering on top of the table. Well, he supposed that many gifts was natural when you had married into such a large family.

After adding his own gift to the pile he made his way outside, through the kitchen where the second door led to the huge backyard. A sea of mostly dark haired people greeted him when he set food outside. There were several small groups mingling around the garden, chattering to each other while children laughed and ran between them, playing something that looked like tag.

Pink hair suddenly entered his vision and Sakura grinned widely at him; her cheeks dusted a deep rose. "You made it!" she exclaimed excitedly, pressing her light green dress down when the wind started playing with it.

"Of course I did. What, you think I would miss the birthday of one of my best friends?" Naruto grinned and kissed her cheeks. "Happy birthday, Sakura-chan."

"Thanks," she smiled and her gaze briefly dipped down to his stomach, which was hidden in a loose shirt. "You feeling okay?"

"Can't complain," he replied and over her shoulder he spotted Sasuke coming towards them. "Hey, Sasuke."

"I see you managed to make it on time," Sasuke smirked; his hair taking on a bluish hue in the sun.

Blue eyes rolled in exasperation. "I've been taking public transport for years. I know what I'm doing," he pointed out with a huff.

Sasuke clucked his tongue, crossing his arms. "Yes, but in your state, I'd prefer - "

"Naruto-kun? Is that you?" a delighted woman's voice interrupted Sasuke and Naruto swivelled his head to the left, eyes widening a tad when Mikoto approached him with a warm smile.

Despite nearing her fifties she still looked like she could pass for someone in her early thirties – a gene that most Uchiha seemed to share. Her long, black hair was done up in a simple bun and her diamond earrings glittered in the sunlight. Her long, dark blue dress flared open around her knees with each step she took.

"I'm so glad to see you again," she said joyfully and before Naruto could react she was hugging him, filling his nostrils with the scent of peaches. "It's been too long."

"Yeah, sorry about that," he smiled sheepishly, returning her embrace hesitatingly. "I've been busy with my classes." He shifted a bit and he knew the moment she had felt his stomach brush against hers because there was a soft intake of breath.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and glanced down at his belly. When dark eyes looked back up again, they were shining with unshed tears and he shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

"Thank you for doing this, Naruto-kun," she murmured, squeezing his shoulders gently before pressing a kiss on his cheek. "You have no idea how much this means to us."

"Eh, I can guess a lot," he chuckled nervously, running a hand through his hair.

She shook her head and opened her mouth, but before she could say something, she was cut off by Obito, who was beckoning everyone to the large table set up in the middle of the garden.

"It's time to eat!" he called out and the children cheered before clambering on their seats, eager to stuff their faces full. The adults followed at a more sedate pace and Naruto caught sight of Fugaku sitting down next to the old man Madara.

Hastily Naruto clasped a hand down around Sasuke's left shoulder and steered him towards the end of the table; Sakura following bewildered.

"What the hell, Naruto?" Sasuke asked surprised, but willingly let himself be tugged to a seat.

"No offence, but I'd like to stay clear of your father," Naruto muttered and sank down on a chair, pulling Sasuke down with him.

"Don't you think you're overreacting?" Sakura sighed, smiling in thanks at one of the Uchiha members when he passed her the can of fresh lemonade.

"Considering we're talking about the man who kicked out his oldest son for being gay, I'd say I'm not overreacting at all," Naruto retorted flatly and next to him Sasuke sighed, but didn't protest, knowing the blond man was right.

Fugaku had been quite clear in the past what he thought about men like Naruto; Naruto thought it unlikely that the older Uchiha would change his mind simply because he was carrying his grandchild. He could only hope that Fugaku would change his attitude somewhat once the baby was born. Nobody deserved to feel unwelcome, even by a grandparent.

"You okay?" Sasuke murmured, nudging his shoulder.

"Hm?" Naruto blinked and stared down, frowning when he noticed how tightly he was clenching his glass between his fingers. He forced himself to relax his grip before the glass would shatter. "Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry."

"You're sure?" Dark eyes studied him intently and Naruto looked away, uncomfortable underneath the scrutiny.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Pass me the mashed potatoes, will you?" he asked and concentrated on the conversations going on around him, instead of on his worry of being cornered by Fugaku. He was here to celebrate his best friend's birthday; he wouldn't allow an old bigot to ruin this day.

That was easier said than done, though, and if Sasuke noticed how Naruto kept one arm in front of his belly throughout the entire lunch, he didn't remark on it.

* * *

"Is this a hint to say that I smell badly?" Sakura raised an eyebrow, but grinned when she pushed the paper down, revealing a small, white basket filled with soaps and shampoo bottles.

Obito shrugged unapologetically and grinned in return. "You know how much I suck at buying presents for lovely ladies like you, Sakura-chan."

"Careful, Sasuke-kun, if you don't watch out, Obito-kun might steal your wife," Shisui smirked, slapping Obito's back.

"I very much doubt I have to worry about that," Sasuke riposted dryly and Obito dropped his mouth in mock outrage.

"Just for that, I'll try out all my best pick-up lines," he threatened, wiggling his eyebrows. "Sakura-chan will be swooning and picking me before you know it!"

"If your pick-up lines were that great, you wouldn't be single now, Obito-san," Izumi retorted cheekily and danced out of his reach when he swatted at her.

"Why you - "

"Why don't you open your next gift, Sakura-chan?" Mikoto interrupted, quirking an eyebrow.

"Here, why don't you open mine?" Naruto suggested, handing her the dark green wrapped gift.

"So you managed to buy something on time? I'm impressed, usuratonkachi," Sasuke remarked with a smirk; his eyes glinting amused.

"Oh shut up, bastard," Naruto huffed, punching his friend in his shoulder.

"Don't tell me you waited until the last minute again," Sakura sighed, shaking her head.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You're a difficult woman to shop for, Sakura-chan," he defended himself.

"Or you should start searching for gifts earlier," she countered, but removed the wrapping paper with a smile. Surprise flitted across her face when she saw what the package held inside. "Oh, Naruto," she said softly and looked up at him with large eyes.

She held a thin, pale pink box in her lap. The plastic window offered a view of a white baby onesie with the words ' _World's Best Mum_ ' stitched into the middle of the suit in bright blue thread. It was the onesie Naruto had noticed in the shop before he had gone to the café with Deidara. By the time they had said goodbye the shop had closed for the night, but Naruto had gone back yesterday to purchase the onesie, thinking it would be the perfect gift for his friend.

He had actually bought one more gift when he had been in that store, but that one was still at his place, waiting for the day it could be handed over to its rightful owner.

Faced with those big, shining, green eyes, Naruto felt awkward and he smiled uncertainly, starting, "I know it's not really for you, but I figured that - "

The next moment he had to spit out pink locks when she suddenly embraced him tightly, the box pressed between their chests, burrowing her face in his shoulder. A weak tremor went through her body and he hugged her back bewildered.

"Sakura-chan? If you don't like the gift, I can - "

She slapped his shoulder and while it was a weaker slap than she usually doled out, it still stung a bit. That didn't matter, though, when she pulled back and smiled brightly at him, sniffing a bit as she brushed the back of her hand across her eyes.

"Are you an idiot? I love it! Thank you so much, Naruto!" she exclaimed, laughing wetly, as she hugged the box with the onesie tightly. "I can't imagine a better gift than this!"

Relief filled him and he smiled back, reassured in her excitement. While at the time of purchasing it he had thought he had chosen the perfect gift, he had started doubting himself when he had been back home. He hadn't wanted to cross any boundaries and buying a baby onesie for someone who couldn't conceive might have given the wrong message. He was immensely relieved, therefore, that she was happy with the gift and not sad or offended.

Her happiness certainly made up for the weird way he had felt when buying the onesie. He still didn't know what that odd feeling had been, which had stuck to him throughout the entire day yesterday, but that didn't matter anymore.

Not with how big Sakura's smile was now.

"Wait, what did Naruto-san give you?" Obito asked curiously, breaking away from the argument he and Izumi had been having the whole time.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sakura smiled sweetly, before putting the box in her large bag.

"Well, I guess for once the idiot here is better than me," Sasuke mused aloud, holding up his own gift, which was something in an envelope. "I thought I had the best present, but I guess I have to concede defeat."

"What? What did you get me?" Sakura asked excitedly and Sasuke allowed her to snatch the envelope out of his hand, as he came to stand next to Naruto.

"Oh my god, this is amazing!" she gasped, holding something akin to a ticket in the air. "A spa trip to Lady Terumi's Resort? You shouldn't have!" All the same she threw her arms around his neck and pressed a deep kiss on his lips, eliciting several catcalls in the room.

Naruto looked away, the sight of the happy couple next to him making his heart clench with pain. Well, really, what had he expected? He should be used to their physical affection by now, but …

"I'm going to get another drink," he excused himself and walked away before either one of them could react.

The kitchen was blessedly empty; everyone was gathered in the dining room now, watching Sakura opening her presents. Releasing a soft sigh, he walked to the fridge, hoping there was something like apple juice left instead of the bottles of champagne and white wine which were practically customary when celebrating an adult's birthday in this family.

"Thank god," he mumbled, spotting a bottle with apple juice lying down on the second shelf and he snatched it out of the fridge; the cold glass instantly leaking its coldness against his warm hand.

When he turned around, intent on finding a clean glass as he didn't know where he had left his first one, he froze at the sight which met him in the doorway.

"Uzumaki-san," Fugaku stated coolly.

Well, shit. The last person he wanted to see today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: So you finally got to see some other Uchiha LOL Better late than never, right? 
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> I see you all back on the twenty-fifth for the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Writing this chapter went remarkably smooth at times ... 
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: drama; some slurs; bigotry; protective Sasuke
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 12_

"Uchiha-san," Naruto said neutrally, placing the apple juice on the counter next to him.

Dark eyes landed on his stomach and Fugaku's mouth tightened. "So my son decided to go through with it after all," he remarked flatly, remaining in the doorway, blocking Naruto's way out.

_As if you didn't know that before_ , Naruto thought, and said aloud, "Yes, he did." He leant against the counter and crossed his arms in front of his stomach, hoping he came across as relaxed and not as tense as he felt. Why was Fugaku here?

"I've questioned your decision making before, but this one really trumps everything," Fugaku sneered; his eyes glinting coldly.

"Well, it's a good thing then that this decision isn't any of your business, is it?" Naruto bit out defensively.

"Not any of my business?" the older man repeated incredulously, taking a step closer. "It became my business when my son decided to choose you to carry my grandchild."

_You, out of all people,_ remained unspoken but clear as the other man stared him down with contempt.

Naruto straightened his shoulders, glaring right back at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" he hissed, clenching his hands in anger.

"I think you know exactly what I mean," Fugaku answered coldly. "He should have chosen to adopt instead of sleeping with the likes of you. I don't want to imagine how that child will turn out with you being its carrier. It might have something wrong with - "

"How about you shut the fu- "

"What's going on here?" Sasuke's voice made them both halt and Naruto's eyes widened a tad when his friend pushed past his father inside the kitchen. The dark haired man looked back and forth between his friend and his father, narrowing his eyes. "Well?"

Fugaku raised an eyebrow, relaxing his posture. "Just discussing the baby a bit," he replied mildly.

Naruto couldn't supress a bitter snort and looked away when dark eyes flitted over to him, wrapping his arms around himself. That was one way to describe their conversation he supposed.

Sasuke seemed to have picked up on the tension between the two men, because he turned towards his father, coincidentally blocking Fugaku's view of the blond man. "That's nice. Why don't you go back? Sakura is waiting to open your and mother's gift until you're there," he stated blankly.

"She doesn't want you there too?" Fugaku remarked.

"She already opened my present," Sasuke retorted and didn't budge until his father had left the kitchen with a quiet snort. Only then did he turn around to study Naruto. "Are you okay?"

Naruto breathed out slowly, rubbing his hand over his left arm. "I'm fine," he mumbled, but that was a lie. Fugaku's comment about something possibly being wrong with the baby because Naruto was the one carrying it had hit him harder than he liked to admit. He knew he shouldn't care about what Fugaku thought – he had heard worse of the man before – but shaking off that particular remark was more difficult than he had expected.

"You're not fine." Sasuke frowned, stepping closer. "What did he say, Naruto?"

"Nothing, just the same bullshit as always," the blond replied flippantly, forcing himself to sound light-hearted. He pushed himself off the counter, trying not to pay too much attention to how close he stood against his friend now. "So Sakura-chan is still opening presents? You're sure your car is big enough to carry all of them home?" he asked teasingly, but even his own ears picked up how fake he sounded and he grimaced.

"Naruto, tell me: what did he say to you?" Sasuke demanded; his frown deepening.

"If you're not careful, you're going to get wrinkles before you're thirty," Naruto pointed out in a feeble attempt to change the subject, but of course he was unsuccessful. Sasuke was like a pitbull once he honed in on something; he wouldn't leave things alone until he was satisfied.

" _Naruto_ ," Sasuke growled and leant forwards, his arms landing on each side of Naruto, caging him in. He was standing so close that their stomachs brushed together with Naruto's next exhale and he froze, suddenly acutely aware of Sasuke's close proximity.

The dark haired man brought his head closer until their noses nearly brushed against each other and Naruto's had the sudden thought that this position would be difficult and awkward to explain to anyone walking in on them now. He still didn't move away.

" _What. Did. He. Say._ " Each word was stressed and yet Sasuke managed to turn what was supposed to sound like a question into an order.

"He was just being his usual bastard self, nothing more," Naruto sighed, unwilling to risk Sasuke becoming angry and confronting Fugaku. It wouldn't be the first time Sasuke defended him against his own father, but he didn't want a fight to erupt between the two Uchiha men on Sakura's birthday.

"You don't look like it was nothing more," Sasuke countered and in his eyes brewed a storm. "What happened? Tell me."

"It's something stupid, okay?" Naruto huffed, looking away as his cheeks heated up in shame. "He was just talking bullshit; that you'd be better off adopting a baby instead of letting me carry it, because … Because something might be wrong with it."

For a few seconds nothing happened and then Sasuke suddenly whirled around; his face contorting with anger. "That fucking bastard!"

Naruto snatched him by his arm before he could take more than a couple of steps. "Wait! What the hell are you going to do?" he asked alarmed.

"I'm going to tell my dear father to fuck off and mind his own damn business!" Sasuke spat, shaking his arm impatiently.

The blond man only strengthened his grip, definitely not planning on letting go of his friend now. Sasuke informing his father to fuck off was a sure recipe to turn Sakura's birthday into a disaster and she didn't deserve that.

"No, you're not," he hissed, glancing warily at the door opening. So far nobody had shown up yet to check on them, but he doubted they would remain alone for much longer. Any moment now Sakura would notice that both her best friend and husband had disappeared.

"Yes, I am! He has no right to talk to you like that and it's beyond time he learns to get the fuck over his issues with you," Sasuke growled, tugging at his arm again.

"Look, he's not worth it, all right?" Naruto argued, shaking his head. "You're only going to ruin Sakura-chan's birthday if you have an argument with your father."

Sasuke glared at him. "He doesn't get to talk to you like that! You're my best friend and - "

"Thanks for wanting to stick up for me, but really, Sasuke, he isn't worth the trouble, okay?" Naruto sighed and released his friend's arm cautiously, ready to grab him again in case he decided to go after his father after all. "He's just sprouting bullshit like usual. I'm just going to ignore him."

"You're up for staying here?" Sasuke inquired; his features softening with concern.

The blond man opened his mouth to reassure him, paused and closed his mouth again as hesitation filled him. No, he wasn't really in the mood anymore to remain here. The confrontation with Fugaku, short as it had been, had knocked him off balance it felt like and he wasn't looking forward to going back inside and putting on a cheerful face for his friend.

It was stupid, really, to let such a remark cut him so deeply when before Fugaku's sneers had bounced off him – and that old bastard had made it clear plenty of times what exactly he thought of Naruto. So his latest remark shouldn't have come as a surprise, especially not with Naruto knowing how much value the older man put on family.

It was just … A part of him had expected Fugaku to soften up a bit, now that he was carrying the man's grandchild. He hadn't really hoped for it, knowing better than to do that, but well, was it that strange to expect a man so fixated on family to be at least a bit more polite towards the person carrying his first grandchild?

Apparently it was.

"No, not really," he admitted reluctantly when Sasuke just kept looking at him questioningly. He smiled weakly, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I think I'll go home now. I'm – not really in the mood anymore for the party, sorry. Can you tell Sakura-chan I'm leaving? I'd do it, but you Uchiha can be way too curious and I can't deal with them right now." He exhaled loudly; the thought of various Uchiha asking why he was leaving already feeling quite daunting all of a sudden.

"Okay, give me a moment to get my keys," Sasuke replied easily and it took a few seconds before Naruto understood the meaning of his answer.

"Wait, what? No, you don't have to bring me!" he protested instantly, waving his right hand dismissively. "I can take the bus back, no problem."

"Naruto, I'm bringing you home and that's final," Sasuke retorted with an impatient huff, turning around again to leave the kitchen. "Just go wait in my car; I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Seriously, Sasuke, that's not necessary!" Naruto insisted, snatching his wrist to stop him. "It's Sakura-chan's birthday, you need to be here."

Sasuke glanced back and rolled his eyes. "Sakura is a big girl; she doesn't need to hold my hand the entire time," he said dryly. "Just stop being stupid and let me drive you home, okay?"

The blue eyed man opened his mouth to argue some more, not seeing the need to use Sasuke's car when he could easily take public transport again, but the look in dark eyes made him pause. He deflated slightly, giving in with a sigh that was more fond than annoyed.

"Fine, if you're so eager to waste gas, bastard, then by all means," he muttered, releasing Sasuke's wrist.

"It's not wasting gas if it's you, you idiot," Sasuke snorted and left the room without looking back.

That was a good thing too, because Naruto felt like he was resembling a tomato with how fiercely he was blushing all of a sudden.

_Get it together_ , he admonished himself and made his way outside, waiting by Sasuke's car.

Resolutely ignoring the way his heart skipped a beat at the quick, easy smile Sasuke gifted him with before unlocking the car and gesturing him inside.

God, he was so screwed.

* * *

"Call me if you need anything, okay?" Sasuke remarked as he slowed down to a stop in front of Naruto's apartment.

Naruto snorted, eyeing his best friend incredulously. "I'm not sick, you know. Just fed up with your father."

A dark eyebrow was quirked up while Sasuke remained silent, tapping his fingers slowly on the steering wheel, as he gazed at Naruto calmly.

The man in question threw up his hands and huffed, shaking his head. "You're ridiculous," he informed the older man flatly before he opened his door and got out.

"My father's always been a bastard. Don't let him get to you, all right?" Sasuke said and Naruto froze briefly in surprise before he relaxed and smiled.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks." He shut the door behind him and waved the dark haired man off as he started his car again and drove away.

His mood lifted a bit, he made his way into the building, hoping there was some interesting movie playing now.

* * *

A couple of hours later, right into the middle of an action scene, Naruto's phone buzzed with an incoming message and he lifted it from the arm of the couch.

' _Mother somehow figured out father was talking bullshit again. He's not looking too happy now. Think he might be banished to the couch again.'_

Naruto guffawed, the mental image of a sulking Fugaku being forced to sleep on the couch too funny to ignore.

And that was one of the many reasons why he loved Sasuke's mother: she didn't even accept bullshit from her own husband.

"Karma, arsehole," he smirked and settled down more comfortably on his couch; spirits definitely higher than they were before.

* * *

Naruto read the letter again and again, certain the wording would change, but it didn't. The words stayed the same, printed stark black on white and the message remained polite, but ruthless.

_Dear Residents,_

_We regret to inform you that the entire Leafblade Apartment Complex has been sold to the city. The complex will be torn down completely to make place for three residencies._

_The start of the demolition of the building will occur on the fourth of May._

_All residents are asked to vacant the premises no later than the second of May._

_We reserve the right to destroy any property left behind under Code …_

The rest of the eviction notice discussed more codes and laws, where they could direct their questions or complaints at and when the last rent was due. Sending in complaints seemed fairly useless, considering everything was already planned and the council wouldn't budge on this.

In less than a month Naruto would be homeless.

"Fuck," he whispered and rubbed roughly over his forehead, wondering what the fuck he was supposed to do now. He had settled on this apartment because, despite how shitty it overall was, it was still the cheapest option he had found in this village.

There had been one other place, slightly cheaper than this one, but the people hanging around that building had set him on edge the minute he saw them and he had enough self-preservation to never look back at that place, even if it meant paying a bit more for this place. He preferred having to cough up a bit more money in exchange for not being constantly on edge in his own home.

None of that mattered anymore, though, because he would be losing this place in less than a month. Not for a simple renovation, which would have meant he could still return after the place had been fixed up, but the building would be completely torn down. There wouldn't be any home to return to after the second of May.

His breath hitched and he gnawed on his lower lip, staring blankly at that damning letter. Shit, what was he going to do now? Where on earth could he go? All the other places up for rent in the village were too expensive – there was no way he could afford the rent there plus his regular bills plus groceries plus any other expenses which might pop up on the salary he had. It would be a choice between eating or paying rent and while he might have skipped a few days of decent meals in order to pay the rent on time, in those places he probably would only have money for food for a week – and that was if he was lucky and the prices hadn't gone up yet again.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Each curse was accompanied with his fist slamming down onto the table until his hand throbbed and he gnashed his teeth together, glaring down at the aching limb. Blue eyes slipped down to his belly then – growing more rounded and pronounced with each week that passed – and his stomach churned, nausea stirring, and something seemed to block his throat. He was afraid to open his mouth now, fearing he could throw up at any moment.

Fuck, what was he going to do about the baby? In order for the baby to remain healthy and safe, Naruto would need to eat regular, healthy meals. To have access to said meals, he'd need a place to live to be able to cook them. He couldn't have the baby in him suffer just because the council had decided to evict people from their homes.

Where the hell was he going to find a good – and equally as important: affordable – place to live at such short notice? Were there even places available that he could afford with his small pay check?

_He was so incredibly fucked._

That realisation had him jumping up, snatching his keys and a hoodie on his way out. He hurried down the steps – as much as the extra weight at the front would allow him – as if something was chasing him. It definitely felt like that. He couldn't stay a minute longer in the apartment, the walls seemingly closing down on him. The place he had called his home for so many months, now felt restrictive and he didn't think he could breathe until he was outside.

The rush of nearby traffic greeted him as soon as he set foot outside and he made his way down the street, sidestepping some branches which had broken off after the storm a couple of days ago. The air outside wasn't exactly fresher – not with the exhaust fumes lingering in the air – but the chill edge to it helped his frenzied thoughts somewhat. He slipped into his dark blue hoodie and stuck his hands into the pockets. It had originally belonged to Sasuke, gifted to him by one of his many family members, but the dark haired man had never been fond of hoodies and had promptly given it to Naruto when the younger man had complained about being cold one day a couple of years ago. It was slightly loose on his frame, but it was comfortably warm and enough to keep the cold air out.

So what was he going to do now? What kind of plan could he come up with that would ensure him a new place by the time he was evicted from this one? As his mind whirled with ideas, disregarding one after the other, his feet led him to a small park a couple of blocks down from his apartment. This late in the evening there were no children playing; all having gone home to eat dinner and go to sleep. Dusk was settling in and soon it would grow completely dark. Already the sky was streaked a dark purple and blue with only a faint sheen of orange left.

There were no people at the entrance; the wooden benches devoid of any occupants, but there was some noise filtering through from the other side of the park, indicating there was at least one small group there.

Wanting to be on his own, he chose to sit down on the bench nearest to the entrance; the coldness of the wood seeping through his trousers the second he sat down.

What to do? That question kept popping up in his mind, not intending on leaving him alone any time soon. A question he couldn't figure out the answer to, no matter what kind of ideas he tried to come up. It boiled down to one issue and one issue only: money.

With the money he had now he couldn't afford any of the places up for rent here. They were all out of his budget; he couldn't even skip any meals now like he had done before with the baby growing inside of him.

Absentmindedly his hand came to rest on top of his belly, his thumb rubbing distracted circles over it. He was currently five months pregnant; when he had made the offer, it had never crossed his mind that he could lose his apartment soon. He couldn't be really blamed for that, though, right? How was he supposed to know that the council had been vying for the apartment complex for months before they finally came to an agreement with the owner?

"Fuck," he muttered and his hand stilled as he glowered at the swings. What was he supposed to do now? Where was he going to find a place in less than a month and which he could afford with his meagre pay check?

Maybe he could …

Crude, loud laughter broke through his thoughts and cerulean blue eyes flickered to the right, taking note of the group of four men slowly approaching him. One of them – a broad shouldered guy – swung something around in the air, heavily gesturing with both his hands. The object passed underneath one of the lights and Naruto recognised it as a beer bottle. Two of the other guys carried them as well; the smallest one of the group bringing it to his mouth to chug from it.

Great, just what he needed: a bunch of tipsy, possibly drunk, guys screwing around in the park. It really wasn't his day, was it?

"Just pass on through," he murmured underneath his breath, keeping his gaze locked onto the sandy ground in front of him; not in the mood for any possible trouble that could occur if they started paying attention to him. "Just go on."

They walked past him, casting long shadows across the ground, as the tallest of the group was saying, "… and she actually thinks she's such a great catch that I can't get any better. Can you believe that?" He snorted loudly, shaking his head.

"Told you before that fucking that bitch wasn't worth it," the broad shouldered guy – who had orange hair – snickered. "Shouldn't have bothered with her, dude."

They approached the entrance, throwing their beer bottles in the direction of a bin and missing it completely. Their footsteps echoed in the silence and Naruto allowed himself to breathe out in relief, sinking a bit deeper onto the bench.

"Hey, guys! Look what we have here!" one of the guys suddenly called out gleefully and Naruto's head shot up alerted. Four pairs of eyes were regarding him with a glint in them that didn't put the blond man at ease one bit.

"Oh fuck," he cursed and hastily stood up. Before he could take more than a couple of steps away from the bench, the four men had already surrounded him, blocking off any possible escape route.

"Don't think I've seen freaks like you around here so late," the small guy grinned roguishly.

The last guy of the group – a thin, lanky man with glasses – drawled, "Never understood why any guy would want to get knocked up. Bad enough you like taking it up the arse, but to actually get knocked up too? Doesn't sound like you're a guy. More like a chick without boobs." That sparked a round of loud laughter.

Naruto gritted his teeth together, eyeing them carefully. He wasn't bad at fighting and he could easily take on the four of them – if he hadn't been expecting a baby. He couldn't allow this to get out of control that badly; he couldn't lose the baby. However the four douchebags didn't seem intent on leaving him alone any time soon. Fuck, what the hell was their problem?!

"Look, I'm not looking for any trouble, all right?" he said, forcing himself to sound calm, but his heart was beating quicker and quicker, as if he was running a marathon and his muscles tensed up.

"No, you're looking for someone to bend you over like the fucking faggot you are, huh?" the tall guy sneered; his muddy brown eyes gleaming viciously. "How does it feel to be such a fucking disgrace?"

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me how it feels to be such a fucking coward that you need your friends to go up against me?" Naruto snapped angrily.

The first punch snapped his head to the left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Did I really end the chapter on that note? Yes, yes, I did. Why? Because I'm evil I suppose.
> 
> You know the drill by now: please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the eight of September.
> 
> See you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter was surprisingly difficult to write, despite my knowing which scenes I wanted *blinks* I hope it isn't too bad! 
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and the kudos! I'm quite happy that we passed 300 kudos already :D
> 
> Warnings: violence
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 13_

Naruto's head was spinning from the unexpected blow. He recovered just in time to bring his arms in front of his face, deflecting three more consecutive punches. He managed to punch some of them straight in the face and stomach. Their groans were like music to his ears, until he caught sight of something in the corner of his eye and he ducked just in time, bringing his legs up and wrapping his arms around his knees to protect his stomach from the incoming vicious kick. The foot grazed his hip, but another one caught him right in the middle of his back and all the air in his lungs was punched out. He gasped without sound as his back started throbbing.

Before he could even so much as twitch a finger, boots and trainers started kicking him wherever they managed to reach; landing blows on his back, his thighs, his shoulders, his arms, his head a couple of times ...

Things started to become rather woozy soon and he was having trouble staying conscious, his mind drifting away, lost in the haze of pain, pain and nothing but pain. A taste like copper or rust coated the insides of his mouth. He coughed. There was only one thought crossing his mind; one thought which felt like an anchor, making certain he didn't unfurl from his position. He kept his legs up and his arms tightly pressed around them even when his muscles started to protest and scream with fatigue and pain.

 _Not the baby. I can't let them hurt the baby. Not_ my _baby._

Some part of him knew that if he even loosened one hand, it was all over. Their kicks would find his stomach and then it would be all over. He couldn't let that happen; he wouldn't allow that to happen. But the onslaught of kicks didn't lessen and darkness was creeping up at the corners of his consciousness, enticing him to give in and just give up.

But he couldn't ... He couldn't do that. Couldn't give in. Not while he needed to protect his ...

Dazed, he thought he could hear alarmed shouting from somewhere above him; the thundering of feet and more screams. Abruptly all was silent; only the wind whistling past him. Still he remained there huddled in a lump, protecting his belly. He didn't think he could move anytime soon, didn't trust those men not to come back and finish the job. He would have to move soon, though, precisely because they _could_ come back. He couldn't stay here; he had to search for help, he had to make sure his baby was okay. He ...

Someone crouched down next to him and touched his shoulder. He flinched away from the touch and instantly all his muscles roared in protest and he bit down savagely on his lower lip to hold back a scream.

"... you hear me, Naruto-kun?"

His brain translated the question slowly, his ears only picking up the last part of it and he blinked slowly, trying to break through the haze of pain which held every cell in his body hostage. How did this person know his name?

"Naruto-kun? ... with me?" Slender, pale fingers carefully grasped his chin and tilted his face up, halting when he grimaced in pain.

Through his blurry sight he noticed a pale face entering his vision; a pair of dark eyes studying him sharply. "You with me?"

"It-Itachi?" Naruto murmured, feeling something slick dripping down his chin and then darkness engulfed him completely.

* * *

Oddly when he opened his eyes, the first thing he became aware of was the feeling of cold leather underneath his fingertips. The second thing was the low, grey ceiling he was staring at and the sensation of travelling at high speed. That last one definitely didn't help with the whole ' _fuck, the world is spinning_ ' experience he was having right now.

"Don' blame m' wh' you get pulled over," Naruto slurred and blinked several times.

"Oh good, you woke up," Itachi said and there was a hint of relief in his voice, which made Naruto turn his head towards him.

Only to groan when pain shot straight up his back right into his skull and he squeezed his eyes shut in a feeble attempt to stop the pain from spreading.

"Don't move too much," the older man ordered - a bit too late if you asked Naruto. "I'm not sure whether you have broken something and moving around is not the best way to find that out."

"Where you bringing me?" Naruto asked and his eyes widened when memories of the fight flooded his brain and his hands shot down to cover his stomach. "Is the baby okay?!" Panic started coursing through his veins at the thought that something might be wrong with the baby. He didn't have any cramps - something he thought he would have if he was on the verge of miscarrying - but his entire body radiated pain and he wasn't certain whether the lack of cramps was really a good sign or not.

"I think so, but just to be sure I'm taking you to Tsunade-sensei," Itachi replied calmly. "She can assess the rest of your injuries as well. I called her to explain what happened and she's waiting for us at her practice."

The dark haired man sounded in control, calm, like he had always been as long as Naruto had known him. In fact he couldn't recall even one instance in which Itachi had raised his voice or had displayed any anger. Not even when Naruto had managed to convince Sasuke to sneak out of his room to go trick-or-treating on Halloween and they had both been caught outside by Itachi.

Back then he had sounded calm and controlled as well, as if it had been an everyday occurrence to find his younger brother out late on the streets with only his best friend as company.

It was also the same voice he had used when Naruto had fallen out of a tree when he was nine years old and Itachi had calmed him down enough for the paramedics to take a look at his arm.

Hearing that tone now, hearing how calm Itachi sounded, caused Naruto to relax slightly, secure in the knowledge that even if Itachi had made shitty decisions regarding his brother, he would never lie.

* * *

Naruto drifted in and out of consciousness, trying to keep as still as possible to avoid aggravating his injuries. His hands remained cupped around his stomach, though, as he was still very worried about the baby inside of him. His injuries would heal over time - it wasn't like this was the first time he had got into a fight after all - but he would never forgive himself if something had happened to the baby.

Why, why had he decided it was a good idea to go to the park on his own at this hour? Self-loathing filled him. He should have just stayed at home or should have gone to Gaara or Sasuke to distract himself. But no, he had to be stupid and now there was a chance something had happened to the baby.

The sting of hot tears pressed against the back of his eyes and he squeezed them shut, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

_Please, let everything be okay with the baby._

* * *

His eyes shot open when the car slowed down to a stop and he started to sit up, pausing every few seconds when his muscles protested in pain. By the time he was sitting up straight, Itachi had already left the car and walked around it, opening the door for him. Dark eyes studied him critically.

"Do you want me to carry you inside?"

"What? No, I can walk!" Naruto said aghast at the offer. He already felt ashamed for being so stupid as to go to the park alone, he didn't need the added embarrassment of being carried inside Tsunade's office like a girl.

"You sure? I managed to carry you to the car; it wouldn't be difficult to help you inside as well," Itachi replied calmly.

He had carried him to the car? Right, he had passed out; of course Itachi had had to carry him to the car. If everything wasn't hurting so much already, he would have slapped his forehead because of his stupidity.

"I can walk," Naruto insisted and slowly got out of the car, hunching a bit when his back protested in pain once more. Gritting his teeth he took a few wobbly steps forwards; nothing felt broken, but he sure as hell was bruised badly. He didn't even dare to imagine how bad he must look right now.

Muscles screaming in agony, his teeth gritted as he pushed past the pain he eventually managed to reach Tsunade's front door, helped along by Itachi who hovered next to him and kept a hand on his back; ready to catch him if he stumbled too much.

The door swung open and light brown eyes studied him intently. "Pick him up and place him down on the table," Tsunade ordered, directing her order at Itachi.

"I can get on the table on my own," Naruto protested, but even in his own ears his protest sounded feeble and his breathing was shallow. Had one of their kicks landed against his ribs?

"I'm sure you can," she replied, humouring him as she turned around; her heels clacking against the floor. "But with Itachi carrying you, you'll get there faster and I'm sure you're worried about the baby."

That made Naruto shut up and a fresh wave of guilt swept over him. He was quiet as Itachi picked him up and he felt indescribably small in his arms, even though the man was only five years older than him.

The paper crinkled underneath him when the dark haired man placed him down on the examination table and he helped him with removing his hoodie; Naruto biting back a groan when bolts of pain flashed through his shoulders.

"Okay, let's first check the baby just to be certain. Have you experienced any cramps so far or noticed blood loss?" Tsunade questioned; her gloves crinkling slightly as she pulled them on. She was in full doctor mode now, ready to assess and treat any damage.

It was a mode Naruto was all too familiar with.

"No cramps and I don't think I've started bleeding," Naruto muttered, lifting up his shirt to bare his stomach. He had the taste of blood in his mouth, but he thought that came from his split lip. A quick running of his tongue across his teeth assured him that he still had all of them.

"I didn't notice any bleeding, save for his bloody nose and split lip," Itachi commented, still hovering next to the table; a frown marring his forehead.

"Well, that's a good sign at least," she muttered and spread the cold gel across Naruto's stomach before pressing down with the transducer, sliding it back and forth, up and down, as she peered at the monitor.

"And?" Naruto inquired anxiously, staring at the screen, but not able to distinguish anything clearly on it.

"The baby is fine," she answered, offering him a quick, reassuring smile. "I don't detect anything amiss. Your lack of cramps and lack of blood loss are also very good signs. The rest of your body seems to have borne the brunt of the attack."

"I was trying to protect my stomach," he explained tiredly. Exhaustion was catching up to him and he lowered his head again, staring up at the ceiling. His guilt was assuaged by the reassurance that the baby was fine. He would have never forgiven himself if the case had been otherwise.

"Well, you succeeded in doing that," she murmured, removing the transducer and swiftly clearing the gel off his stomach with some paper towels. "Let me take a look at you now, brat. Where does it hurt?"

"Basically everywhere," he grimaced, letting his shirt drop down again. "But mostly my back, my arms, my thighs and my ribs."

"All right, I'll check your ribs first. I don't think anything is broken, but let me check," Tsunade said, beckoning him to sit up. She took a stethoscope our of a drawer and sat back down in front of him. "How many attacked you?"

"Four guys."

"Why?"

"Fuck if I know. Because they're fucking bigots? Because they're homophobes? Because they're just pathetic arseholes in general? Take your pick," Naruto snapped and hissed when she pressed the cold metal of the stethoscope against his chest.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Your lungs sound clear," she announced after a moment of placing the chest piece on - what to Naruto were - random placed across his chest. She removed the buds from the stethoscope out of her ear and let it rest around her neck. Fingers then pressed down against Naruto's sides, feeling his ribs.

He resisted the urge to flinch back when strong fingers poked at sensitive spots and she eyed him knowingly.

"Your ribs don't feel broken either," she continued, pressing a few more times down against his lower ribs. "There's going to be some serious bruising, though, and breathing is going to be a bitch for a few days."

"Yeah, I figured," he grimaced, but a sliver of relief filled him. The last thing he needed after all the shit tonight were broken ribs.

"All right, follow my finger," she instructed, continuing with the examination.

It was when she was carefully touching his back, assessing the damage there, that Naruto noticed Itachi sliding his phone out of his pocket and dialling a number.

"You're calling Deidara-kun?" he questioned curiously, in an attempt to take his mind of the prodding his back was subjected to.

Itachi cast him a curious glance - most likely because of the familiar suffix he had attached to the blond's name - but replied, "No, I'm calling Sasuke."

Naruto tensed, ignoring Tsunade's exasperated cluck and asked sharply, "Why?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow and regarded him with a particular expression that Naruto had become acquainted with many times before thanks to the younger brother often using it on him. It was the 'Are you stupid?' look and the brothers appeared quite practiced at wearing that particular expression.

"Because he needs to be informed about this."

"No, he doesn't. Why should he - "

"Because he's your best friend, he cares about you and you're carrying his baby. I'm pretty certain that my brother will be pissed off if we _don't_ tell him about this," Itachi interrupted him, rolling his eyes. "Ah, Sasuke. Yes, I'm aware of the hour."

The rest of the conversation between the two brothers became nothing but static as Naruto stared at the older man, frozen. Itachi knew whose baby this was? Since when? Who had told him that? Naruto racked his brain, trying to recall whether he had let it drop in a conversation where Itachi had been present. It wasn't as if he and Itachi had had many conversations so far, so how did the man know about the baby's other father?

The only ones who knew Sasuke was the father - bar of course Sakura and Sasuke's parents - were Jiraiya, Tsunade, Gaara, Iruka and ... Deidara. Out of that list only two talked to Itachi regularly and only one didn't have a strained relationship with him.

_Had Deidara told him?_

"Sasuke's on his way here. He sounds fairly pissed off," Itachi announced, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.

"It would shock me if he wasn't," Tsunade snorted, applying some sort of cold cream on the bruises on Naruto's back.

Shit, a pissed off Sasuke was not fun to deal with, but he would figure out what to do once his friend got here. Now he had a more important question to ask. "Who told you about the baby's father?" Naruto demanded tersely.

A black eyebrow was raised. "Sasuke told me during one of our phone calls. I said I wanted to congratulate Haruno-san with her pregnancy, because I realised I hadn't done that yet. After that he explained the whole story," Itachi replied unruffled.

 _Sasuke_ had told him? Not Deidara, but Sasuke? Naruto was quite baffled by that admission. He knew Sasuke and Itachi had started talking with each other again, but he hadn't expected Sasuke to be actually willing to inform Itachi about whom was really carrying the baby.

"You seem surprised," Itachi noted carefully, crossing his arms.

Tsunade began rubbing the same cream on Naruto's right arm after rolling up his sleeve.

The blond man shrugged awkwardly, doing his best to not dislodge the doctor's grip. "I just ... I didn't think he would tell you that," he admitted with a slight frown. Given the distance that had been between the two brothers for years, he had expected his friend to only admit about his involvement after the baby was born or so.

"He's excited to become a father," Itachi murmured; his voice and face softening suddenly. "I suspect it slipped out without him realising it at first. He told me you were helping him with getting a child - not many people would be willing to do that."

"Yeah, well, he's my best friend. Why wouldn't I want to help him?" Naruto chuckled weakly, glancing away.

"There's helping a best friend and then there's actually carrying their baby for them," Itachi riposted dryly.

Naruto scowled at the floor; would he really have to go through this entire argument again? Why did it matter that he had offered to carry Sasuke's baby for him? There were a lot of people acting as surrogates; he wasn't the exception!

"I put a salve on all your bruises," Tsunade stated, removing her gloves with a quiet 'snap'. "That'll help with reducing them. You'll need to put the salve on twice a day for the next four to five days. You've always healed remarkably fast, so I doubt you'll be walking around with those bruises for longer than two weeks. I'm also giving you some painkillers which are safe to use in your condition. That way you'll be a bit more comfortable. Apart from that I guess you just have to take it easy for a while and give your body some time to heal."

"Thanks, baa-chan," Naruto smiled gratefully, pulling his hoodie back on.

She sighed and stood up. "Do try to stay out of trouble, brat."

He wanted to protest that it hadn't been his fault - hell, he had just been sitting there, minding his own business - but he hated that he had to admit she was right. If he had just stayed home, he wouldn't have brought the baby in danger and Sasuke wouldn't be on his way from - probably his work given the hour.

"If you do feel anything close to cramps or you think something is wrong, you need to call me," she continued, handing him a long, yellow tube containing the salve and a white, small box with painkillers. "Doesn't matter the hour, if you feel something is wrong, you call me, okay?"

"I will." He nodded, accepting the salve and painkillers. Six months ago he would have told her not to worry so much or she would get wrinkles, but now he wasn't going to take any chances. You could bet your arse he would be here in a heartbeat again if he had even the slightest inkling that something was wrong with the baby. He had come too close to having the baby harmed today and he wasn't going to take any chances.

Then the door suddenly banged open, revealing a wide eyed Sasuke. "Naruto? What the hell happened?!"

Naruto winced. This was so not going to be fun to explain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: See, no cliffhanger! XD
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the 22nd of September. 
> 
> I see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I'm not entirely certain about this chapter, but I couldn't figure out what to change about it, so yeah ...
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: hm, nothing really special I think
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 14_

"Are you okay?" Sasuke demanded, coming to a halt in front of the blond man.

Naruto smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head for a few seconds before he brushed against a sensitive spot. He hastily pulled his hand away with a quiet hiss; that was going to be one nasty bump on his head tomorrow. "The baby's fine; baa-chan checked," he reassured his friend.

He received a scowl in reply, which took him aback. "I know - Itachi told me that on the phone. I asked whether you're okay, you idiot."

Only Sasuke could simultaneously insult someone and express concern over that same person in one breath. "I'm fine," Naruto sighed, rubbing his hands over his thighs. "Mostly some bruises, but nothing broken. Got some salve for those bruises and some painkillers."

Relief crossed Sasuke's face quickly before he frowned. "What were you doing at the park at that hour?" he asked perplexed.

_I needed to clear my head after hearing I'm getting evicted_ , Naruto thought but the words wouldn't pass his lips. Instead he shrugged and glanced away, staring at Tsunade's desk. "Just wanted to walk around for a bit," he mumbled, rubbing his arm and ignoring how his muscles protested. "Didn't know those fuckers would be there as well."

"Did you take a good look at them?" Sasuke questioned, ignoring Tsunade who was walking around him to put away her supplies.

"I - guess so. Why?" Naruto asked warily, not liking that particular tone in Sasuke's voice.

"To file charges of course," Sasuke stated matter-of-factly. "Those bastards need to be locked up for what they did to you."

The blond couldn't contain a snort of disbelief. "Please, you think the police would find them? They'd write down my testimony and file it away most likely," he retorted, scowling. He had come into contact with the police a couple of times when he was younger - stupid stuff like spraying graffiti on the walls and sneaking into locked up places - and thanks to that he didn't have a very good reputation with them. There were also some arseholes on the force who thought men like Naruto - men who could carry children - were lesser beings than them, weaker, and it would just be Naruto's shitty luck to encounter a policeman like that if he went to file charges.

"Naruto, they can't just get away with this!" Sasuke bit out, narrowing his eyes in anger. "They attacked you! What would have happened if Itachi hadn't driven by, huh? You could have died, you could have lost the baby! Those arseholes need to be behind bars!"

"You know I don't have the best reputation with the police, Sasuke!" Naruto bit back, irritation flaring up. "Not to mention there are still shitheads on the force who - "

"If I may interrupt," Itachi cut off Naruto calmly, "I know a detective who can help you out. He isn't affiliated with the police here, so he doesn't know of your reputation and he isn't biased either."

"Why on earth would you know a detective?" Sasuke inquired suspiciously.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Met him at university," was all he offered as explanation before addressing Naruto again, "Would you be willing to talk to him? Because Sasuke is correct - if I had been any later or if I hadn't been there at all, this could have ended worse for you than bruises only."

Naruto's instinctive reaction was to refuse, not having much trust in authorities. But as he mulled it over in his head, he realised it would probably be better for him to talk to that detective - if only to make sure they wouldn't go after him for a second time. He had been rather lucky tonight to have Itachi drive by, but he couldn't count on being lucky every time. He couldn't risk the baby again - not that he was planning on returning to that park during the evening any time soon, but well ...

"Yeah, fine, I'll talk to him," he muttered, not looking forward to it at all.

Itachi nodded and produced some paper and a pen from god knew where. "Here, write down what you can remember of their appearance now. I'll call him tonight, but he has to drive over from another city so he won't be here immediately."

"Why do I have to write that down now?" Naruto questioned confused, accepting the paper and the pen.

"Because now your memory of them is still fresh - it won't be that tomorrow when you talk to him," Itachi explained patiently.

As Sasuke started hounding Tsunade about Naruto's injuries and what she had done to treat them - which she answered with a surprising amount of patience - Naruto hastily jotted down what he could remember of those bastards; exhaustion finally really catching up to him.

He just wanted to go home now and sleep and forget all this shit for one night. That wasn't too much to ask, right?

* * *

"Well, I've arrived in one piece; you can go now," Naruto said, slipping the eviction notice underneath some magazines before Sasuke could catch a glimpse of it.

"I'm staying the night."

It was so casually said that at first Naruto didn't take notice of it as his mind had already wandered to the upcoming daunting task of changing into his pyjamas. The painkillers were slow to kick in and raising his arms in order to pull off the hoodie again was not something he was looking forward to. Then Sasuke's words finally registered and he whipped his head around - paying for that action with a sharp stab of pain shooting up his neck.

"What? No, you're not," he argued, completely taken aback. "Why the hell would you stay the night?"

A black eyebrow rose up. "It's not like I've never spent the night before," Sasuke pointed out, rolling his eyes. "And I want to make sure you're okay."

Blue eyes stared at him non-comprehendingly. "You did. You drove me home and you heard Tsunade say I'm okay; just some bruises and a headache," Naruto said slowly, trying to figure out what Sasuke's aim was.

"Yes, she said that, but I still want to stay here in case you don't end up feeling well after all," Sasuke retorted infuriatingly calm. He made his way to the kitchen. "You haven't eaten yet, right? I'll make something for the both of us."

Naruto followed right after him, getting a bit worked up. "Look, I don't need a freaking babysitter, okay?" he said annoyed, watching how Sasuke looked through his fridge. "I can take care of myself; I don't need you to stay the night!"

There was a pause and Naruto shuffled his feet when he became aware of the sudden shift in the air; the atmosphere between them growing heavy with something he couldn't name. Slowly Sasuke closed the fridge and turned around, crossing his arms as he stared at the blond man with a blank face.

"I was just rounding off a meeting when I got called by my brother," he started and the seemingly non-sequitur opening took Naruto so off guard that he kept quiet. "I got to hear that while I was arguing the details of a contract with an old bag, you were being attacked by four guys. You could have _died_. You could have lost the baby. And I wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing about that." Bitterness and anger flashed up in those dark eyes.

"Sasuke, this wasn't your fault," Naruto murmured, slipping his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "Me getting attacked - I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"That doesn't make it any better, Naruto!" Sasuke suddenly exploded, slamming his fist against one of the cabinets. "You were fucking attacked! You were attacked and I wasn't there to help you!"

Naruto jumped, staring wide-eyed at his heavily breathing friend. Cautiously he took a step forwards. "I know it doesn't make it better, but ... I didn't die and I didn't lose the baby. You - you can't seriously be blaming yourself just because you weren't there?" Incredulity coloured his voice and he took another step forwards. "It's not like you could anticipate that I would be attacked. You don't need to stay the night to assuage your guilt - I'm not holding anything against you, you idiot. This was just a case of me having major shitty bad luck; that's all."

"I'm not feeling guilty."

That was a bold faced lie, but Naruto was smart enough to keep his mouth shut about that. No need to wind up the dark haired man even more.

"I just - want to take care of you tonight; keep an eye on you," Sasuke admitted stiffly, looking away.

That ... Well, Naruto had no rebuttal against such a confession. He knew it hadn't been easy for the dark haired man to admit something like that aloud and he found he couldn't refuse him. If Sasuke would feel better spending the night and witnessing with his own eyes that Naruto was fine, then the pregnant man wouldn't kick him out. It was the least he could do after making Sasuke worry that much, he conceded even if his stomach did nervous flips at the thought of his best friend spending the night.

Really, Sasuke had spent the night before; not a big deal.

Except this time, it felt like a big deal.

* * *

"I thought you would be sleeping on the couch," Naruto commented dumbly, unable to avert his eyes as Sasuke casually took off his clothing and pulled on some sweatpants and a shirt of the blond. The impromptu sleepover - and god, that sounded so damn juvenile - had left Sasuke without his own sleepwear, so he was forced to borrow some of Naruto's. Fortunately they were quite similar in size so the clothes fit Sasuke well.

Even if it was strange to see him in bright orange sweatpants.

Slender fingers plucked at the thin fabric in distaste. "Trust you to find orange sweatpants," Sasuke scoffed, shaking his head, and Naruto scowled at him.

What the hell was wrong with orange? It was a warm, bright colour! It reminded him of sweet oranges and beautiful sunsets. What wasn't there to like about it?

"How do you suppose I keep an eye on you if I sleep on the couch and you in here?" Sasuke retorted, quirking an eyebrow. He added, almost like an afterthought, "Not like this would be the first time we share the futon."

No, it wasn't, but the last time they had shared it, they had had sex in it and Naruto's cheeks dyed a crimson red at the memory of it. He cleared his throat, ignoring Sasuke's sharp look, and shuffled in the direction of the bathroom.

"Right, well, I'm going to take a quick shower first. I still got some grime on me left from the park," he muttered, scratching idly at his left wrist.

"You need some help?"

Naruto turned his head and stared at the older man incredulously. "I'm capable of taking a shower on my own, thanks," he replied annoyed and closed the door of the bathroom behind him before Sasuke could form a retort.

The painkillers had finally kicked in and he could step out of his clothes without fearing pain flaring up like a quick, temperamental fire. Sure, there were still some twinges and some light aches, but he felt a lot better compared to a few hours ago. He would probably feel like crap tomorrow again, but those were worries for the next day. Now he could take a shower without feeling like he would fall apart.

When he walked back into his bedroom - already dressed in his pyjamas - Sasuke was slipping his phone into the pocket of his discarded trousers and picked up the tube with the salve Tsunade had given him.

"Figured it was best to put the salve on the bruises again now that you washed it off in the shower," Sasuke explained, holding up the tube in the air. "I could get your back."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly, approaching his friend slowly. Sasuke was being oddly - well, thoughtful was the wrong word, because it wasn't as if Sasuke was cold on other moments, but he was definitely acting different than usual. Was this his father instinct acting up? He was being more careful and concerned than he usually was when Naruto had got himself into a stupid spat.

Almost as if he was treating ...

Naruto cut off the thought before it had the chance to form completely and sank down on the futon. "Yeah, thanks," he muttered and fumbled a bit with his shirt, wondering whether he should pull it off or not to access the bruises, before thinking fuck it and stripping it off of him. That left him bare chested and he was hyper aware of a heavy gaze studying him.

He held out his hand. "Salve," he muttered and the cold tube was placed in his hand. As he squirted some of the white cream on his right hand, he felt dark eyes trailing lower.

"Your stomach's getting more rounded," Sasuke remarked quietly and blue eyes flicked towards him in surprise before looking down.

Having entered his fifth month his stomach was indeed more rounded now and bigger. It no longer looked like he had just eaten too much; now it was clear that he was carrying a child. Rubbing the cream on the bruises of his left arm first, he joked weakly, "Yeah, can't pose like a swimsuit model any longer."

"Do you regret it?" Sasuke suddenly asked; his eyes intense when they glanced up at the blond man.

Naruto froze for a few seconds before forcing himself to relax and tend to the bruises on his right arm. "Regret what?" he questioned lightly.

"Carrying my baby," Sasuke answered softly; his fingers twitching.

Blond eyebrows furrowed. "No, why would I?"

"You got attacked for it."

Naruto couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. "They might have still attacked me even if I wasn't pregnant. Personally I think they were just looking for a fight and I was an easy target," he added, a tad bitterly. Forcing a light tone, he continued, "Besides it's a bit late to ask me that, no? What? Are you the one wanting to back out?"

"Fuck no! I want this baby!" Sasuke replied unexpectedly vehement, dark eyes gleaming, and the younger man nodded.

"And I want to help you," he said before handing over the tube to the dark haired man. "I'm taking you up on your offer to take care of my back."

Nothing else was said between them as Sasuke methodically and carefully rubbed the cream onto the bruises on Naruto's back. Sometimes his fingers strayed towards Naruto's sides, twitching slightly as if he was itching to touch Naruto's stomach and the blond man stuffed his own hands underneath his thighs to stop them from grabbing Sasuke's hands and pressing them on his belly. That would feel too intimate right now and his nerves were already shot at the prospect of sleeping with Sasuke in the same futon again. He was being ridiculous, he knew, but he couldn't help himself.

The tube was closed with a quiet 'snap' and the sheets rustled as they made themselves comfortable on the futon, lying back to back as some moonlight poured between a gap in the curtain.

"Good night, Sasuke," Naruto murmured, feeling oddly vulnerable next to his best friend.

"Night, Naruto," came the equally soft reply back.

Naruto's last thought before sleep welcomed him was whether Sakura knew Sasuke was staying the night.

* * *

When they woke up the next morning, neither of them remarked on the fact that Sasuke had had one hand covering Naruto's belly during the night or that he had been laying rather close against the blond. They parted after breakfast; Naruto promising to let Sasuke know when he had talked to the detective.

As Naruto stood in the middle of his kitchen, hearing the door close behind Sasuke, and contemplating the way he had woken up this morning, he wondered whether something had changed.

He hoped not; that would only bring more trouble. Trouble he wasn't ready to deal with.

* * *

"I heard Kakashi-san found the ones who attacked you," Deidara said, idly stirring a spoon in his cup of tea.

"Yeah, they're currently in a cell," Naruto confirmed, thumbing at the ear of his own mug.

It was Thursday afternoon, a week after he had been attacked in the park, and he was visiting Deidara at the place he shared with Itachi. Judging by the size of the house - not to mention the garden - the couple wasn't doing badly when it concerned finances. Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of the large and beautiful house.

"I bet you're relieved now, un," Deidara said sympathetically, rubbing his stomach idly. At seven months his belly was quite a bit bigger than Naruto's and he was sitting sideways in his chair to give his stomach more room.

"Yeah, can't say I wasn't happy when he called me with the news," Naruto admitted with a wry grin, running a hand through his hair.

Hatake Kakashi was the name of the detective Itachi knew. Naruto had met the older man last Thursday and he had been taken aback initially by the dark mask covering half of Kakashi's face. His silver, spiky hair also clashed with his youthful face and while Naruto was pretty certain he had seen a porn novel peeking out of the man's jacket, the detective had been professional and had written down all the details Naruto could remember from the attack. He had left the apartment with the reassurance that he would catch the guys and make certain they would face trial.

Two days ago Naruto had got a call during his lunch from Kakashi, who told him that he had managed to find all four of them and they were currently in a holding cell, awaiting their trial.

While Naruto hadn't really feared that the four men would come back to target him once more, he had to admit he was pretty relieved now that there was no possibility of accidentally encountering them on the streets again. Kakashi might be an odd guy, but he definitely knew how to do his job.

"Yeah, I bet you are," Deidara smiled before hesitatingly visibly. Cautiously he asked, "Is Haruno-san still angry?"

The younger blond grimaced, leaning back in his chair. Sakura hadn't been happy when she had discovered what had happened to Naruto. Apparently Sasuke hadn't told her anything about the attack; she had had a nightshift and had only discovered what had happened when she had popped by Naruto's work on Friday to share some lunch and had witnessed some of his bruises. Her concern for him and the baby had had her yelling at him for keeping something as severe as an attack from her and Sasuke had received his share of yelling through the phone.

In Naruto's defence he had assumed she had known about it through Sasuke; it hadn't occurred to him that Sasuke might have kept quiet about it.

"I talked to her yesterday and she didn't sound angry anymore," Naruto sighed, wrapping his hands around his mug. Sasuke on the other hand might still be in the doghouse so to speak. Apparently he hadn't told Sakura either that he had spent the night at Naruto's apartment and that had caused another argument between the couple, leaving Naruto feeling quite awkward when he had been caught into the middle of it when he had visited them that Friday evening.

He still didn't know why Sasuke hadn't at least texted Sakura even if she had had a nightshift, but he wasn't planning on stirring that particular hornet's nest.

"If Sasuke-kun is anything like Itachi, it's not like him to forget to mention something as major as that," Deidara murmured, wrinkling his nose.

Naruto shrugged. "He normally isn't, but I guess he was too frazzled at the time," he commented, taking a sip of his tea. Sasuke _had_ acted rather frazzled after the attack; the blond man couldn't really blame him. If the roles had been reversed, he would have been distracted as well and probably wouldn't have thought of texting his partner.

Maybe. Probably not. Didn't matter anyway.

"So," Deidara drawled, regarding him with sharp eyes. "You're going to tell me what's been bothering you, un?"

"What?" Naruto asked startled, staring wide eyed at the older man.

"We might not know each other that long yet, but I can tell there's something bothering you," Deidara explained frankly, crossing his arms on top of his belly. "I thought it had to do with the attackers at first, but that's not really it. Not anymore at least, un."

Naruto hesitated, biting his lip as he contemplated whether or not to confide into the older blond. The eviction note had been on his mind ever since he had received it a week ago and while the attack had temporarily distracted him, now with the attackers locked up, his mind was constantly mulling over the letter. It hovered in the back of his mind during classes, reminding him with every day that passed that he still didn't have any idea what he was going to do now.

He still didn't have enough money to rent a new apartment. Jiraiya only had one bedroom and while the older man probably would offer to sleep on the couch for however long it took for Naruto to find a new place, his godfather wasn't that young anymore and he couldn't chase him out of his own bedroom.

If Gaara knew about his situation he wouldn't hesitate to offer the younger man his place to stay at, that he was certain about, but he couldn't accept that. Gaara had started living on his own, because he needed a place where he could be at ease, where he wouldn't be distracted or annoyed by other people's constant presence. Gaara wouldn't mind Naruto's presence - if he did, he wouldn't share a futon occasionally to sleep - but with Naruto often came the added presence of other friends like Sasuke and Sakura or even Kiba. Gaara would put up with them because he was one of Naruto's best friends, but it would most likely take a toll on his mental health and that was something Naruto couldn't ask of him.

And Sasuke and Sakura ... They would scold him for not asking them for help immediately, but Naruto just couldn't. They would let him stay at their place, helping him out once more, and he couldn't do that. He already had a hard time dealing with their affection for each other whenever he visited them - having to live with them on a daily basis and witness them kissing and hugging each other, all with the knowledge that he would never have with Sasuke what Sakura had ... Yeah, no, he wasn't that masochistic. Living with them was just a bad idea all around; he didn't feel strong enough to do that.

If that made him pathetic, so be it.

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto pursed his lips and released a soft sigh. He might as well confide in Deidara; maybe he would be able to come up with a solution. "I, eh, I got an eviction notice last week. I have to leave the apartment before the second of May. After that they're demolishing the building," he said softly; his hands clenching around his mug.

"Shit, that's horrible, un," Deidara grimaced, blowing a lock of his hair out of his face. "I assume you can't find another apartment?"

He shook his head. "Don't have enough money for it. I probably could if I cut back on the groceries for a while, but I have to think of the baby now," he answered, gesturing towards his stomach.

"You can't stay with friends?"

"No, I can't - I can't ask that of them."

It was quiet for a while in the kitchen; both men lost in their thoughts. However he looked at it Naruto was fucked, plain and simple. He couldn't stay with friends for a variety of reasons and he didn't have the money to rent another apartment - at least not without possibly endangering the baby growing inside of him. Just as he started to seriously consider the idea of living in his classroom for a while - it could be done, right? or another room in the school - Deidara broke the silence with an unexpected offer.

"Well, if you can't rent another apartment and you can't stay with your other friends - why don't you come live here with me and Itachi then, un?"

That was ... not what he had expected. At all. _What?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I hope it isn't as bad as I fear it is ^^; Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the sixth of October. I see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I know I said the story wouldn't be updated until the sixth, but I discovered afterwards that my internet will be down for a while on that day, so I figured it would be easier to update this story one day earlier. I hope you don't mind :P
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and the kudos!
> 
> Warnings: Hm, nothing really in particular I think; some short flashbacks
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 15_

"You could have asked my help. You know you could have stayed at my place," Gaara pointed out annoyed as he taped a box with the plates and cutlery shut, scribbling down the content of it afterwards.

"I know, Gaara," Naruto retorted placatingly, busying himself with wrapping his mugs and glasses in a thick wad of paper before stacking them in a box. "But I also know how much you value your privacy and peace."

"What does that even have to do with this?" the red haired man barked out, pulling up another box to put the pans and cookpots in it.

"I know you don't like too many people in your space. You realise that if I lived with you, Sasuke, Sakura-chan and Kiba for example would frequently visit, right?" Naruto pointed out mildly, writing down ' _Glasses, Mugs, Careful!_ ' in black marker on the lid of the box before taping it shut. When he looked at his friend, he saw him frowning heavily, scowling down at the pan in his hand as if it had done him a great injustice.

"I would have put up with it," Gaara muttered petulantly. The younger man shook his head smiling.

"You would have, yeah, but you shouldn't."

"Fine, but if you don't like it there, you can still stay at my place," Gaara insisted and walked out of the kitchen to stack the box against the wall.

"Thanks for the offer," Naruto smiled, putting his own box next to the one Gaara had packed. The kitchen done, the blond man left his friend behind in the living room to pack up his books and other stuff. He entered his bedroom for what would be the last time today.

As he started emptying his wardrobe he let his mind wander off, replaying his conversation with Deidara two days ago.

" _I can't do that," Naruto said, stumped as soon as his brain had processed the offer._

" _Why not, un?" Deidara raised an eyebrow. "You're looking for a place to stay and the house is big enough anyway."_

" _But I - it's just - you don't know me that well!" the younger blond blurted out. He couldn't live with Deidara and Itachi; that would be just too weird. Sure, he had known Itachi for years and he was becoming fast friends with Deidara, but actually living with them? Awkward and weird didn't even begin to describe what the situation would be._

" _We're friends, right?" Deidara waited until the other man had nodded baffled before continuing almost flippantly, "Well, friends help each other out, un. You need a roof over your head and this house is large enough to house at least six to eight people. Not to be rude, but what other option do you have?"_

_Naruto sulked, knowing but hating that the older man was right. "What about Itachi? Who says he's going to like it?" he asked challengingly, crossing his arms._

_Deidara snorted, supporting his chin on his hand. "You've known each other for years and you're carrying his nephew or niece, un," he replied calmly. "You really think he wouldn't let you stay here? He would probably be angry if I didn't make the offer."_

" _I don't want to intrude," Naruto murmured, feeling embarrassed as he stared down at the table top._

" _You won't be intruding, Naruto-kun," Deidara reassured him. "I wouldn't have made the offer otherwise. So what do you say? Want to come live with us, un?"_

He had contemplated the offer for a while, but in the end he had given in. Like Deidara had pointed out, it wasn't as if he had many options. He had to think of the baby first and foremost; he couldn't deny himself food to scrape rent together and living in a cheap but unsavoury neighbourhood wouldn't be good either. With little money to his name and carrying a baby, he was basically backed into a corner.

Truthfully Deidara's offer was very much appreciated and incredibly needed. Naruto didn't want to exaggerate but it was like a gift from heaven. He would have a roof over his head in a decent neighbourhood without needing to worry about scraping enough money together to pay the rent. He actually had had an argument with Deidara about the rent part of their agreement. As soon as Naruto had accepted the offer, he had questioned how much he would need to pay them every month. Deidara had refused his money, stating he wasn't going to take money of his friend. Naruto had insisted on it, feeling already bad enough that he would be intruding on Deidara and Itachi for the unforeseeable future, but the older blond refused to listen, adamant they didn't want his money. It had nearly escalated into a full blown out fight until Deidara had pointed out he could save his money and find a decent place later on in the future.

That was something Naruto hadn't thought of, but him living rent free at their place would indeed allow him to save up money to get a new apartment in the future. Still, he had been firm on the matter of at least helping out in the household, so that he could repay them in that way for letting him stay. Living for free there without doing anything in return didn't sit well with him at all. In the end Deidara had agreed to let him help out.

So starting from today he would be living in an actual house, sharing it with two other people. No longer would he come home to this small apartment. It was a sobering thought and he paused for a moment, staring down at the folded pair of jeans in his hands. He really wouldn't return here anymore after the last box had been put in the moving van. How strange was that?

Shaking his head briskly - he couldn't dawdle now - he turned back to his wardrobe, intent on checking it for any wayward items of clothing.

The drawers were completely empty and the shelves on the left side too. He cast a furtive glance at the right side where he had mainly hung his jackets and hoodies and stilled when his gaze fell on the item sitting on the bottom of the wardrobe. Bending down, he picked it up and stared at it; his stomach twisting uncomfortably.

Unconsciously his hand dipped down to his stomach, rubbing it slowly, as he studied the stuffed orange fox in his left hand. Unlike regular foxes, this stuffed toy had nine tales, which dangled underneath him as he was held up in the air. His beady black eyes gazed back mischievously and his mouth was stitched into a teasing smirk. The tips of his velvety soft ears were dyed a pitch black and his bushy tails ended in white tips, as if they had been dipped in white paint.

When Naruto had been looking for a birthday gift for Sakura, he had found the fox on a shelf near the onesies. He had bought the toy on a whim and at that moment had figured he could give it to Sakura as a second birthday gift for the baby. On the actual day, however, he had left his apartment with only the onesie as a present; something in him had prevented him from taking the fox with him. Considering it was meant for the baby, he had told himself he would wait until after the birth to give it to the new parents.

The thing, though, was ...

He couldn't help but feel weird every time he laid eyes upon the toy. It had caught his attention in the first place because he was fond of foxes and thought it would be a nice gift for the baby. As the weeks passed, however, he was growing somewhat ...

"Naruto? Do you need help in here?" Gaara appeared in the doorway expectantly, stirring the blond man out of his thoughts.

Throwing another look at the fox, he placed it in a new empty box. "Yeah, eh, you can place these boxes with the rest," he told his friend, turning his attention towards the futon.

Only a bit more and then they would be done here. Ignoring the strange, fluttering sensation in his chest, he set about stripping the futon of its blanket and pillow.

* * *

Living with Deidara and Itachi ... was easier than he had expected it to be. He had anticipated a lot of awkwardness at first as they tried to figure out how to get used to each other, but it felt like he had been living with them for years already.

During the morning they ate breakfast together - the two blonds looking more bleary-eyed than Itachi - and afterwards Itachi would leave for his work first, kissing Deidara goodbye. It was such a domestic scene that it had caught Naruto off guard the first few mornings he had witnessed it. Not that he had thought Itachi would be standoffish and cold towards his own fiancé, but he had never seen the older man that relaxed and open back when he was still living with his parents.

Which in retrospect made sense of course, given who his father was. Fugaku didn't exactly inspire an open and relaxed attitude.

It was nice to see Itachi with his guard lowered, though. In spite of the way he had treated his brother before - Naruto was pretty sure he was still trying to make amends for that - it was good to know that Itachi had ended up being happy with his life, even after getting kicked out of the family.

After Itachi left, Naruto was typically the second one to leave. Deidara had started working part time now that he was seven months pregnant and therefore didn't have to leave the house every day if he didn't want to. The younger man had been pretty confused at first as to why Deidara had already started working part time, until the other man had informed him he was an artist, creating sculptures out of clay and - occasionally making them explode. Because that was art apparently. Naruto hadn't even attempted to understand the reasoning behind that and had just nodded and hummed in appropriate places as Deidara had ranted to him that not many people understood what great art actually was.

Basically because setting off explosions was something Deidara did regularly - again Naruto hadn't dared to ask the reasoning behind that - Itachi had requested, well, more demanded according to a pouting Deidara, that the blond man would cease performing that part of his art until their baby was born. Deidara had agreed, but had assured Naruto he would celebrate their baby's birth with a big bang as soon as he got the chance.

Naruto was a tad afraid to ask what exactly that 'big bang' would be.

They settled into a routine quickly. To Naruto's slight dismay, Deidara insisted on giving him a lift to school - even on the days the older man wasn't scheduled to work. It was one thing to get dropped off at the school when Deidara had to go to work himself - it was a whole other matter when his friend insisted on dropping him off even if he wasn't supposed to work at all. Naruto had protested, of course. He was already staying at their house for free, he didn't need Deidara to act as his personal driver as well, but the long haired blond insisted on it.

" _What's the point in saving money for rent if you're still going to waste part of it on public transport?" Deidara raised an eyebrow as he slowed the car down to a stop in front of the school's entrance._

_It was Wednesday; the third morning that Deidara was dropping him off at his workplace and Naruto was starting to feel uncomfortable, especially because he knew the other man wasn't scheduled to go into work today._

" _I don't want you to go out of your way for me," Naruto protested; his fingers tightening around the strap of his bag. "You're already letting me stay at your house for free, I can't ask you to - "_

" _Naruto-kun, stop being so difficult, un," Deidara groaned, sounding put out. "I don't mind giving you a lift. This way you don't have to worry about whether or not you'll get here on time."_

" _I've taken public transport for years and I - "_

" _It's either me dropping you off or Itachi - who do you prefer?" Deidara interrupted him bluntly, raising an eyebrow._

_Naruto threw up his hands in exasperation, scowling at his friend. "Why are those my only two choices?" he exclaimed annoyed._

" _You're carrying our nephew or niece - you really think either one of us would let you ride public transport?"_

" _Oh my god, you're acting like taking the bus is dangerous!" Naruto shook his head incredulously._

" _Not really dangerous, no," Deidara conceded, tapping his fingers erratically against the steering wheel. "But both Itachi and I feel better if you get dropped off by one of us. Call us overprotective, un, but that's how it is."_

_Naruto groaned, but decided he didn't have the energy to keep arguing - not to mention he didn't have that much time left either. He grabbed his bag and stepped out of the car with a huff, ignoring Deidara's cheerful, "I'll see you later, Naruto-kun!"_

Naruto didn't want to admit it - there was no need to give the couple cause to be smug - but getting a ride was indeed easier than having to rely on the busses to get him to his work. He didn't have to leave that early anymore and he didn't have to worry about being forced to start his class later because he had missed a connection or one of the busses had been late again.

That didn't mean he wouldn't ever ride a bus again, though. He wasn't going to let himself get driven everywhere; that would be a bit too much. Their overprotective streak could suck it.

Still, despite the minor annoyance of being chauffeured from and to his work, living together with Itachi and Deidara was turning out to be better than he had hoped.

* * *

Friday had him claiming the couch as he went through his lesson plan for the next month. Normally he had a class today, but that particular group was visiting some monuments for their history class, so there had been no need for him to show up at the school. He had taken advantage of the day off by sleeping in longer and soaking in the large bathtub before joining Deidara in the living room.

It was now almost a week since he had moved in with the couple and so far things were pretty great. He had never realised before how much he had been worrying about rent and groceries until he no longer had to deal with them. Deidara and Itachi resolutely refused to accept any money of him; Itachi had even looked somewhat offended when Naruto had suggested he'd at least pay his share of the groceries. Naruto didn't want to be a freeloader, but he didn't want to offend them either by insisting on paying them. He would have to find some other way to pay them back for their generosity in the future.

Deidara's annoyed huff and the sound of a book being abruptly closed tore Naruto out of his contemplation of his lessons and he blinked, turning his head slightly to look at the older man. Deidara was lounging in the armchair and had for the better part of the morning been absorbed in a book listing all kinds of names he could choose for his child. Judging by the scowl on his face, he wasn't having much luck with it.

"Still haven't decided on a name?" Naruto asked light-hearted.

Deidara groaned, pushing his hair out of his face. "No, why does it have to be this difficult, un?" he asked annoyed, rubbing one hand over his belly. "You'd think picking a name would be easy, but no!"

Naruto snickered. "Does Itachi have some names in mind?"

"No, he told me I should just make a list of names I like and then we will choose from that," Deidara sighed and clucked his tongue. "Easy coming for him - I still haven't even started on the list, un!"

"You still have some time left," the younger blond reassured him; his pen idly dangling above his paper.

"Yeah, but not that much time," Deidara pointed out exasperatedly. His gaze landed on the book again as he muttered contemplatively, "I wonder if Sasuke-kun and Haruno-san will have this much trouble deciding on a name, un."

It was said as some kind of afterthought, clearly meant to be more like a private musing, but Deidara's words hit Naruto unexpectedly hard and he stiffened, staring down at his paper blankly.

Right, a name for Sasuke's baby.

The thought hadn't even crossed his mind yet, but of course Sasuke and Sakura would need to decide on a name soon - if they weren't already making a list of potential names. Because of course the baby needed a name.

The baby Naruto was carrying. Unwillingly his hand came to rest on top of his stomach as a sudden feeling of restlessness swept over him like a wave. He was being ...

His phone ringing loudly startled him and he nearly toppled off the couch when he snatched the vibrating device from the table. Sasuke's name flashed across the lit up screen.

"Sasuke?" he greeted his best friend questioningly, wondering why the dark haired man was calling him now. He chanced a quick glance at the clock; nearly twelve. Sasuke barely called around lunch hour, because he tended to be still at work then.

"I wanted to have lunch with you," Sasuke stated abruptly, forgoing the greeting. "I'm at your place, but your neighbour said you moved out a week ago. What the fuck, Naruto? Where the hell are you and why didn't you tell me you moved out, you idiot?"

 _Oh shit_. Naruto winced, bringing his shoulders up as he sank deeper into the couch; embarrassment heating him up from the inside. He felt Deidara's curious stare drilling into his head, but he didn't acknowledge him. Fuck, he had completely forgotten to tell Sasuke and Sakura that he had moved out. Belatedly he realised that only Gaara was currently aware of his new address and he rubbed his forehead, cursing underneath his breath.

In his defence, he had been preoccupied with getting used to his new surroundings but even in his own mind that excuse sounded weak. There had been no reason not to inform Sasuke and Sakura of his change in address.

Except for the reason which had driven him to accept Deidara's offer in the first place.

"Yeah, a bit of a long story," Naruto replied weakly, pulling at a loose thread in his jeans. "But, eh, I'm living with Deidara-kun and Itachi now."

There was a short bout of tense silence hanging between them before Sasuke snapped, "I'm coming over," and hung up before Naruto could say anything in return.

"Everything okay, un?" Deidara asked curiously, leaning forwards a bit.

Blue eyes stared down at his phone in dismay. "Sasuke's coming over and he's pissed," Naruto announced flatly before gathering his stuff and placing them on the table.

This was going to be a fun conversation.

* * *

"So yeah, I got evicted and Deidara-kun offered me a place to stay here while I save up for an apartment," Naruto finished his story, rubbing the back of his neck. He flushed underneath the heavy glower and glanced away, unable to keep looking Sasuke right in his eyes.

They were in the living room while Deidara had moved into the kitchen shortly after Sasuke's arrival, announcing that it would be best to give them some privacy. Naruto had nearly begged him to stay after taking notice of dark eyes practically shooting fire at him. He wasn't afraid of Sasuke, no, but dealing with him when he was pissed off wasn't a pleasant affair either.

When he dared to glance up briefly, he saw Sasuke pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed, murmuring something inaudibly. Maybe a plea to the gods to let him keep his patience? Naruto winced and shuffled his foot, feeling more and more uneasy as the silence dragged on.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me earlier about the eviction notice?" Sasuke eventually snapped, glaring at the blond man. "I could have helped you!"

"I didn't want to bother you, okay?" Naruto retorted, a bit exasperatedly. This was exactly why he hadn't told Sasuke about his predicament; the dark haired man would want to help him and while that was well intentioned, it wasn't something Naruto could deal with at the moment.

"Didn't want to - are you out of your mind?" Sasuke bit out. He stood there so tense it had to hurt, but he showed no sign of relaxing any time soon. "You're my best friend, you idiot! You wouldn't have bothered me with it! You could have stayed with me and Sakura."

"Which is why I didn't tell you about it!" Naruto snapped back frustrated. "I didn't want to intrude on you and Sakura-chan."

"What kind of bullshit is that even?" Sasuke threw his hands up, looking fed up. "Deidara and my brother are a couple too, so I don't see why - "

"Deidara-kun offered - "

"So am I, but you're blowing me off to stay here!"

Silence reigned between them, only broken by the muffled noises of a pan being placed on the kitchen counter. They must be loud enough for Deidara to hear their argument and Naruto flushed once more with embarrassment as he crossed his arms; his heartbeat ridiculously loud in his ears.

"Look, I'm not blowing you off for Deidara-kun and Itachi, okay?" he said softly and knew he had placed his finger on the sore spot when Sasuke stiffened, his hands clenching into tight fists. While Sasuke definitely was frustrated - and possibly even a tad hurt - that Naruto hadn't confided in him about the eviction notice, he was perhaps more upset by the notion that his best friend had chosen his brother over him.

It was a ridiculous idea, of course. There had been no choosing of any kind and if there had been, Sasuke would have won hands down either way. Sasuke probably even realised that himself, but years of feeling inadequate and lesser than his brother had left their marks behind.

"I didn't choose them over you," Naruto continued and this time it was Sasuke looking away. "But you and Sakura-chan have already done so much for me - I didn't want to bother you with this."

"It wouldn't have bothered us, Naruto," Sasuke started, but the blond man shook his head and interrupted him.

"Fine, maybe not," he conceded before smiling self-deprecatingly, "Let's keep it on the fact that my pride wouldn't allow me to ask for your help again."

That wasn't even a complete lie; his pride had been a small part of the reason why he hadn't wanted to ask Sasuke for help. Only a fraction of the reason, but still ...

"Pride is overrated." Sasuke rolled his eyes, looking slightly less tense.

"Coming from you that's rich," Naruto snorted, raising an eyebrow.

Dark eyes stared at him unimpressed, but the heavy moment was gone and Naruto couldn't help but grin; his grin widening when he spotted a faint smile across Sasuke's lips.

"You can come stay with us whenever you want," Sasuke told him; his features more relaxed now, looking less like they had been carved out of stone.

"I know, thanks," Naruto smiled, rocking back and forth on his heels. "But it isn't necessary."

"Still, if you change your mind." The dark haired man shrugged.

"You'll be the first one to know," Naruto promised him and then clapped his hands together. "So, you said something about having lunch with me?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes again, but picked up the paper bag he had put against the wall. Only now did Naruto take notice of the emblem on the front of the paper and the sudden, enticing smell wafting over to him.

A delicious scent he hadn't smelt in quite a while and which made his mouth water as he stared wide eyed at the bag.

Sasuke smirked when he showed off a closed cup of ramen. "You've been so good at sticking to healthy meals, I figured you'd like to eat some ramen now."

"Oh god, you're fucking amazing, Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed, making grabby hands at the cup as he plopped down on the couch. "Seriously, you don't know how much I've missed this!" He was already practically inhaling his food by the time Sasuke had opened his own cup and sat down next to him.

"I can imagine," he replied dryly and his dark eyes flashed when Naruto accidentally moaned at the heavenly taste coating his tongue.

Hey, he hadn't had any ramen in weeks - cut him some slack!

* * *

Sasuke had gone back to his office and Naruto was helping Deidara out in the kitchen; the older blond doing the dishes while Naruto dried them off and returned the items to their appropriate place.

"Say, I was wondering," Deidara broke the peaceful silence.

"Hm?"

"I couldn't help but overhear, un," Deidara started and sounded apologetic, "that Sasuke-kun offered you a place at his house."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to accept it," Naruto said and then frowned, staring down at the plate he was drying off. "Unless you want me to leave?" he added uncertainly. In that case he wouldn't have much choice.

Deidara shook his head; his ponytail brushing back and forth across his back as he exclaimed, "No, no! You don't have to leave if you don't want to. I'm not kicking you out, un," he reassured the younger man.

"Oh good," Naruto sighed relieved, putting the plate in the cupboard.

"It just made me wonder - why don't you want to stay at Sasuke-kun's house? He sounded ... rather upset that you refused, un," Deidara continued cautiously.

Naruto stilled, his hand hovering above the wet cutlery he had just been about to dry off. Staring at the gleaming silver, he hesitated, wondering whether he should tell the truth. Nobody had ever known about this, not even Gaara. It was a secret he had intended to keep for as long as possible, but ...

His mouth moved before he could stop himself, "Because I'm in love with Sasuke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: This doesn't really count as a cliffhanger, right? I mean, you all knew this since the beginning :P
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the 20th of October!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Sorry for the later update, guys! My internet was unexpectedly down this morning .-. I'm not entirely happy with the ending of this chapter, but well, rewriting it over and over again only aggravated me more and more ... I hope you won't find it too bad ^^;
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments! We're nearly at 400 kudos already :O
> 
> Warnings: Hm, a bit of drama and the revealing of the baby's sex
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 16_

As soon as the words left his mouth, Naruto cringed and closed his eyes, cursing his inability to keep his mouth shut.

"I'm sorry, un," Deidara said stunned. "Can you repeat that?"

Resigned, Naruto opened his eyes and sighed, glancing down at the floor as he repeated ashamed, "I'm in love with Sasuke. That's why I couldn't ask him to let me stay at his place."

The pan Deidara had been scrubbing fell back into the soapy water with a splash, sending water over the edge of the sink and dusting the tap with foam. He paid no attention to the water spilt and hastily turned around to stare at the younger man in shock. "You're in love with Sasuke-kun," he reiterated stumped, his hands dripping water on the floor.

Naruto nodded silently; his entire face heating up in shame as he wrung the dish towel between his hands.

"I need to sit, un," Deidara muttered, dragging a chair away from the table and sinking down on it. He pointed at the chair nearest to his. "Sit down, Naruto-kun."

Naruto was pretty certain he would not like the direction this conversation would take, but well, that was his own fault, right? He just had to blurt his feelings out like that, instead of keeping it heavily guarded like he had done for years. _Maybe I should be glad I didn't open my big mouth around Sasuke_ , he thought gloomily as he sat down, dumping the towel on the table for now.

"All right, so, how long have you been in love with him, un?" Deidara asked apprehensively; all traces of amusement having disappeared completely.

The younger blond shrugged and looked away uncomfortably, rubbing his left arm. "For years," he admitted quietly and his cheeks heated up again as another wave of shame swept over him as he thought of all those years he had spent pathetically pining after Sasuke. One would think he would have got over him eventually.

"Exactly how many years are we talking about?" the older man inquired cautiously; a deep frown cleaving his forehead in two.

"I don't know; I think it started around my seventeenth or so?" Naruto answered uncertainly and swallowed. He had never been able to pinpoint the exact moment he had fallen in love with the dark haired man; he suspected it had slowly sneaked up on him until it had become so embedded in him that there had been no way to ignore it anymore.

He often wished he had been able to ignore it. It would have made his life so much easier.

When he looked up, he saw Deidara pinching the bridge of his nose and looking quite pained. Naruto flinched, even though Deidara hadn't reacted yet. He didn't have to say anything, though; it was clear as day that his friend thought he was stupid. And well, he couldn't really blame him for thinking that.

"So let me get this straight, un," Deidara said slowly, lowering his hand on the table and gazing at the other man with slightly narrowed eyes. "You've been in love with Sasuke-kun for years and you thought it was a marvellous idea to offer to carry his child?" His tone practically dripped with incredulity and Naruto winced.

"I thought you said it was great I had offered to do that for them?" he defended himself weakly, but even he knew how idiotic that sounded without needing to see Deidara's deadpan look.

"Yes, I told you it was great, un - before you told me you're in love with the father of the baby!" Deidara exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "How could you ever possibly think that was a good idea, Naruto-kun?"

"I just - I just wanted to help them," Naruto whispered and stupidly, his eyeballs started stinging with hot tears. Why the hell would he start crying now? There was nothing to cry about!

"There's a difference between carrying their child as just a friend and carrying a baby for them when you're in love with one of them, un," Deidara snapped annoyed and the younger man realised this was the first time his friend was actually annoyed with him. It wasn't a nice realisation. "Did you ever stop to think about what this would do to you?"

"I thought about it a lot, okay? It wasn't like I just decided to do this on a whim!" Naruto bit out, clenching his hands into fists. So now Deidara was jumping on the bandwagon too? Why could nobody believe that he was capable of doing this? Why did they all think they knew him better than he did himself? This wasn't just an impulsive plans like most of his plans had been in the past!

"I actually don't think you gave this some thought, Naruto-kun," Deidara said annoyed, flipping his ponytail back over his shoulder. "You're carrying the baby of the man you love - do you really think you'll be able to just give it up after the birth, un? Can you look me in the eyes and honestly tell me you will be able to hand over that baby after you've hold him or her? That you will be fine with the thought that you'll never be able to raise that baby like your child? You'll be known as an uncle to him or her and - "

"I KNOW!" Naruto's outburst echoed through the kitchen and Deidara instantly shut up, staring at him wide-eyed. Breathing heavier, nails puncturing through sensitive skin, he continued in a strangled voice, "I know, okay? I promised I would give the baby up and I'm not going back on my promise. I would never do that to them."

"But what about you - "

Abruptly Naruto stood up; his chair screeching when it was shoved backwards. "I'm going out for a walk," he said curtly and strode out of the kitchen - as much as his stomach would allow.

Snatching his keys and phone on his way to the door, he stuffed them in his pockets and grabbed his hoodie. He shoved his feet into his battered shoes and was jerked to a stop by a hand clutching his wrist.

Worried, baby blue eyes stared at him when he turned his head. "Look, I didn't mean to upset you, un," Deidara said softly, licking his lower lip. "I just wanted - "

"I know, I just - I need some fresh air now," Naruto sighed, tugging his hand free. He offered a weak smile. "I'll be back soon, I promise. I just need to clear my head."

Deidara pursed his lips together, obviously not happy with this, but nodded and took a step back.

The front door fell shut with a quiet 'click' and Naruto inhaled the crisp weather. May was slowly approaching and the weather was gradually softening, preparing itself for the upcoming summer months. Resting his hands into the large pockets of his hoodie, he started making his way down the street, passing an elderly couple walking their dog. They shared an amiable nod in greeting before the couple turned around the corner. Some twigs and dead leaves crunched underneath his shoes and above him some birds were chittering excitedly, rustling the leaves.

He knew, all right. He knew how stupid it was to carry the baby of the guy he was in love with. But first and foremost, Sasuke was still his best friend, together with Sakura, and he wanted to help them out. He was in the position to help them - why wouldn't he offer it? His feelings for Sasuke had nothing to do with this. No matter what everyone thought, he was capable of remaining distant from the baby and giving him or her up to his friends. He would never hurt them like that.

His right hand cupped his rounded belly through the material of the hoodie and he quickened his pace.

* * *

He and Deidara made up after his walk and the older blond promised not to tell Itachi about it. The last thing Naruto needed was an Uchiha knowing about his feelings - especially when that particular Uchiha was the older brother of the man he was in love with. He didn't think Itachi would just go blurting it around, but well, better safe than sorry in this case.

* * *

Monday had him finishing his class earlier and waiting at eleven thirty outside the school for Sasuke to pick him up. He had his next appointment with Tsunade and they would, hopefully, find out today whether he was expecting a girl or a boy. This time Sakura would be there too, though she would drive directly from the hospital to Tsunade's practice; the pink haired woman still had a shift starting right after the appointment and couldn't afford to stay away too long. She had insisted on being there, though, not wanting to miss the moment when they would find out the baby's sex.

A familiar Mercedes rolled to a stop in front of him and he slipped into the car quickly, pulling the door shut behind him. After putting on his seatbelt, pulling it a bit lower underneath his stomach before it started to feel uncomfortable, the car was put in drive again, smoothly re-entering traffic.

"How are you doing?" Sasuke asked, glancing at the blond man next to him quickly.

Naruto chuckled a tad amused; it was practically becoming a tradition by now for Sasuke to ask him how he felt every time they spoke or met up. "I'm fine," he reassured his friend, placing his bag pack between his legs on the floor. "How's work?"

"Same old, same old," Sasuke grunted, narrowing his eyes at a car speeding past them. "Suigetsu is starting to work on my nerves."

"Not much of a surprise there," Naruto retorted dryly. Suigetsu was a co-worker of Sasuke who, when considering the hierarchy in the company, stood one step below the dark haired man. From the moment the white haired man had started working there, Sasuke had been annoyed by him while the other man seemed to thrive on getting on his nerves.

Honestly Naruto was surprised Sasuke hadn't attempted to defenestrate Suigetsu yet.

"Is Sakura-chan already there?" he questioned curiously, tugging at a string of his hoodie. It had been too warm to put on his jacket this morning, but still a bit too chill to just go outside in a sweater, so he had compromised with a dark green hoodie.

"She should be," Sasuke confirmed, stopping in front of the red light. "She left the hospital right after I called her, so unless she's stuck in traffic, she'll be there before us."

Naruto hummed and they remained in companionable silence for the rest of the ride with music playing on the radio as background noise.

Traffic wasn't too bad and they arrived rather quickly at Tsunade's practice; Naruto spotted Sakura's car - a small, metallic light blue Ford - a bit further down the street. He waited until a cyclist had passed the car before he opened his door and stepped out. They crossed the street and the door of the practice opened before either one of them could raise their hand, revealing a flushed looking Sakura.

"Right on time," she grinned and ushered them inside after sharing a quick kiss with Sasuke. Once the front door was closed, she hugged Naruto, careful not to press too tightly against his stomach. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine, Sakura-chan," he smiled, returning her hug.

"Good, that's good to hear," she nodded, tucking a piece of her bubble gum pink behind her ear. She was practically glowing, as if she was the one who was pregnant and not Naruto. "I'm so glad I managed to get some time off for this appointment!" Her hands were clutching Naruto's and she looked on the verge of vibrating on the spot. Her eyes glittered brightly as she grinned, "I can't wait to find out whether it's a boy or a girl!"

He grinned, but before he could offer a reply, the door of Tsunade's office opened, revealing the busty blonde leaning out of the doorway. She quirked an eyebrow. "You ready to come in?"

"We are," Sakura chirped and her enthusiasm was infectious, leaving Naruto with his own butterflies in his stomach as he approached the doctor somewhat nervously.

"Everything okay? You didn't experience anything out of the ordinary?" Tsunade questioned, taking a file out of one of the drawers and putting it on her desk. "Go lie down on the table and bare your stomach."

"Everything's fine," he repeated for the third time today and shrugged out of his hoodie first before he sat down on the examination table and swung his legs up. He pulled his sweater up to right above his belly when he laid down. Immediately Sasuke and Sakura came to stand on his left side, both wearing looks of anticipation.

Tsunade sat down on the small chair on his right side, turning on the monitor. "How are the bruises?" she inquired further, spreading cool gel over his bare stomach before putting a bit on the transducer.

"Practically gone," he told her and in the corner of his eye, he noticed Sasuke's fingers twitch a bit. "Don't feel sore anymore either."

"Good to hear," she hummed and raised the transducer. "Ready?"

"Go for it," he snorted and turned his head to face the monitor. Not that he would be able to recognise anything on it unless it was pointed out to him, but nonetheless it was still interesting to see.

The transducer pressed down on his stomach and Tsunade moved it around slowly; her light brown eyes focused on the screen in front of her. When she uttered a soft noise, three pairs of eyes instantly shot towards her.

"And?" Sasuke asked, sounding rather tense. "Can you see whether it's a boy or a girl?"

"If I'm not mistaken, you're going to get a son, Uchiha-san," Tsunade smiled, tapping softly on the screen.

Cerulean blue eyes widened in shock. "Holy shit, a boy?" Naruto exclaimed stunned, staring at the screen in awe. Being nearly six months pregnant made it easier for him to distinguish the baby on the screen; now he could see the head and the legs and the arms without needing to have it be pointed out to him. He couldn't immediately see how Tsunade had discovered the baby was a boy, but that didn't matter.

_The baby was a boy._

"A son!" Sakura repeated and started laughing, dabbing at her eyes which looked suspiciously wet all of a sudden. "Oh, Sasuke-kun, we're going to have a son!"

Sasuke didn't verbally react, but when Naruto glanced at him, he softened at the look of pure wonder which was glued onto the screen. Dark eyes gleamed when they locked onto blue ones and Naruto smiled on an impulse. His heart skipped a beat when Sasuke returned his smile; the soft and private one nobody but a select few were allowed to witness.

As Sakura started chattering about the baby and the paint colours they could use for the nursery now, Naruto knew he would cherish Sasuke's smile forever.

How could he regret making the decision to carry his baby if it put a smile like that on the older man's face?

* * *

"You haven't eaten lunch yet, right?" Sasuke asked when they were back outside. His right hand held the envelope with the ultrasounds in it and judging by how firmly he grasped them, he wasn't planning on releasing them any time soon.

Naruto would never dare say it aloud, but he thought the way Sasuke was clutching the ultrasounds was quite frankly adorable.

"No, I haven't," he replied, shaking his head, and waved at Sakura who drove past them. After nearly suffocating him with a tight hug, she had hurried to her car, needing to be at the hospital on time for her next shift. "I had a class before this appointment."

"We could eat lunch together," Sasuke suggested, looking back and forth before crossing the street to his own car.

Naruto followed and narrowed his eyes. "Don't you have work to do?" he questioned curiously. "Besides, I'm not letting you pay for lunch," he huffed, already knowing what the dark haired man had been planning. He really wasn't all that subtle.

"It's just lunch," the older man sighed exasperatedly, leaning on top of his open door. "It's not that big of a deal, Naruto. As for work - a few hours without me won't kill them."

That was not the impression the blond man had of Sasuke's work at times, but he wasn't about to start arguing with him about that. "Look, you already paid for my groceries several times; I can't let you pay lunch too," he argued and stepped into the car before he could potentially block traffic.

"How many times do I have to tell you this? You can consider the groceries for - "

"The baby, yes, I know. But that doesn't include buying lunch and I'm not going to change my mind about it, so save your breath," Naruto retorted stubbornly, crossing his arms on top of his stomach.

"Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?" Sasuke growled, glowering at him.

Naruto manfully resisted the urge to stick his tongue out. He also was decidedly not thinking about how deep Sasuke's growl had been or how the sound had aroused his interest. Nope, definitely not, because that way laid madness.

The dark haired man groaned annoyed and rubbed over his forehead. "Fine, what about if I make lunch for the both of us at my place? No money involved with that."

Naruto pursed his lips in thought, but his stomach growling rather loudly made the decision in his place. His cheeks heating up slightly, he muttered, "I guess, if you have the time for it."

"I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise," Sasuke snorted and started the car.

But not before Naruto caught him putting the ultrasounds almost reverently away in the inner pocket of his jacket.

* * *

Sasuke was doing the dishes after lunch and Naruto was sipping from his apple juice, having got the strict order not to help and just sit at the table and relax. Either all Uchiha shared the same ridiculous overprotective streak towards pregnant people or both Uchiha brothers thought he was incapable of helping out. Both possibilities were quite annoying, but he saw no point in creating a fight out of something as inane as not helping out with the dishes. That just wasn't worth wasting his energy on.

He put the nearly empty glass on the table and licked his lips to catch any residue of the sweet juice. "Say, Sasuke," he started and then stopped and furrowed his eyebrows, suddenly becoming aware of a strange sensation. It took him a few seconds to locate the origin of it; bemused he stared down at his stomach, wondering whether he was just imagining things.

For a few seconds nothing happened and he started to relax again - and then it was back and he froze.

_A strange fluttering sensation_. Like a kitten paw nudging him gently.

His sharp intake of breath had Sasuke whirling around and his eyes sharpened when they landed on the seated blond. Snatching off his gloves and throwing them on the sink, he demanded, "Naruto? Something wrong?" A hint of worry seeped through his voice.

"I think," Naruto cut himself off when the fluttering movement was back and his hands automatically covered his stomach. "Oh," he breathed out, taken off guard.

"Oh? What do you mean, 'oh'? Is something wrong with the baby? Do you need to go to Tsunade?" Sasuke fired off the questions one by one, clearly getting more and more worked up. Before he could completely throw himself into a tizzy, Naruto waved him closer.

"I'm fine, don't worry," he reassured his friend first as the older man approached him cautiously.

"Then why are you gripping your stomach like that?" Dark eyes narrowed at the way Naruto's hands were still cupping his belly; his thumb rubbing soothing circles over his side.

"Because the baby surprised me." Naruto struggled to keep his laughter hidden as he watched how realisation slowly dawned upon Sasuke's face.

"Are you - is he kicking?" Awe coloured the dark haired man's voice as he stared in shock at Naruto's stomach.

"Yeah, just felt it now," Naruto smiled, looking down at his stomach as well. His heart did a weird summersault when he felt the baby moving inside of him. There were no words to describe how he felt now; how it was to feel the baby moving inside of him, kicking him.

It had something ... _magical_. Out of the world.

"Now that I think about it, I might have felt him moving before, but I just thought it was trapped gas or something like that," he admitted sheepishly; his cheeks reddening a bit.

A strangled noise escaped Sasuke and he looked like he couldn't decide between shaking his head in despair or laughing. "Only you, Naruto," he muttered.

"Not like I've got experience with it!" Naruto defended himself, pouting. So sue him for thinking he had had some issues with trapped gas! It wasn't as if the kicks had been that discernible.

At least not until now.

"Can I - can I feel him?" Sasuke asked and for the first time since they had become friends Naruto heard his voice audibly trembling, as if something was caught in his throat.

"Of course you can. He's still moving," Naruto murmured and pulled his hands away. "If you're lucky, you'll be able to - oh."

Before he could even finish his sentence, pale hands were already covering his stomach, carefully moving around as they tried to predict where the baby's next kick would land. Sasuke stilled when the baby nudged his right hand which was lying on top of Naruto's belly.

"I can feel him," Sasuke said wondrously; his face shining with awe; his gaze trained upon the blond's stomach. "I can feel him moving!"

"Yeah," Naruto muttered lamely, aware of the baby moving inside of him leisurely, but his attention was now solely focused on Sasuke.

This was the first time that Sasuke was actually touching his stomach, feeling it, and he suddenly became hyper aware of their proximity, of the few inches that were still separating them. Sasuke stood so close, Naruto could feel his body heat practically radiating off him, inhale his familiar, spicy scent and he swallowed; his eyes helplessly tracing the man's features. The slim, dark eyebrows; his straight nose; his sharp cheekbones; his full, pale pink lips ...

His black eyes which were shimmering with excitement and awe; the love he had for his child evident in the way he gazed at Naruto's stomach. Sasuke would make a great father; there was no doubt about that.

God, he really was in deep, huh?

Looking at Sasuke now - these past five months had done nothing to diminish Naruto's feelings for him. If anything, they had grown worse now that he knew how it felt like to be the object of Sasuke's full focus; how it was to witness this other side of Sasuke, a side he hadn't felt ready to show to anyone until now. Naruto was now receiving a taste of how it would be like if he and Sasuke were actually together and that only made things worse.

Did Sakura know how lucky she was to have Sasuke's love? Did she realise how many people would want to be in her shoes, even if it was just for one day? To experience Sasuke's love; to know it was reciprocated; to be able to kiss and hold him without fearing rejection; to love him in return without worry ...

Did she know?

"Naruto?" Sasuke murmured, having become aware of how silent the younger man was. He looked up and the moment their eyes locked, it was as if a bolt of electricity passed between them.

They stilled, gazing at each other, and Naruto couldn't stop his eyes from flickering briefly to pale rose lips. They parted slightly underneath his gaze and when he looked back up, his heart skipped a bit at the sudden intensity in those dark eyes.

They seemed to glow from somewhere deep within and Naruto felt trapped underneath them, wondering faintly whether this was how every prey felt like when it was caught by its predator.

"Naruto, I ..." Sasuke's voice trailed off; his gaze flicking towards Naruto's own slightly chapped lips.

His heart started thudding madly in his chest as he realised that the distance between them was suddenly shorter. Was he moving or Sasuke? He didn't know and he didn't care.

Sasuke's face was close to his, so close he could count his lashes if he wanted to.

So close their mouths were nearly touching if they turned their heads slightly.

As if in a trance, Naruto watched how Sasuke came closer. Until black filled his vision. Until he was aware of nothing else but the man in front of him.

Just a bit closer ...

_And then their lips would meet._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Did I really end it at this line? Yes, yes, I did. *nods* Felt like being evil, sorry :P
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the third of November. I see you all then!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter gave me a ridiculous amount of trouble. It took me more than a week to finish whereas the previous ones only took me around a couple of days. I'm still not completely happy with it, but well ... I hope it isn't too bad!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: Eh, angst mostly
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 17_

Their breath mingled together, little puffs escaping parted lips, and Naruto vaguely registered the fact that Sasuke's warm breath was tinted with a hint of coffee. One of his hands rose up and rested on his friend's shoulder, feeling strong muscles flex underneath his touch.

His heart was doing summersaults in his chest and he _knew_ he should pull back, retreat, before whatever this was went any further, but ...

He couldn't. He didn't want to. He was caught underneath some kind of spell and his body refused to budge. His breathing sped up slightly - from excitement or fear? He didn't know - when silky, dark hair brushed against his cheek as Sasuke closed the remaining distance between them.

They were almost ...

_There._

Their mouths grazed each other and sparks ignited and his heart threatened to completely burst out of his chest now. Heat spread out from his lips to the rest of his body, filling him with a scorching warmth, setting all his nerves on fire.

This was what he had been dreaming of for years, what he had been imagining during those nights when he had allowed himself to think about Sasuke in bed, forcing himself to forge past the guilt for just one moment. What he had been fantasising about for a long time and became distracted by every time he focused on Sasuke talking and watched his lips move.

This was ... This was ...

The pressure deepened, his breathing hitched, and he -

"MEEEEOOOOOWWWW!"

Loud yowling erupted right outside the kitchen window and Sasuke lurched back, dark eyes widening in shock before they darted over towards the window where two cats were fighting viciously.

As Sasuke marched over to the door and yanked it open to shoo the cats away, Naruto sat frozen in the chair, replaying the past few minutes over and over again in his head.

 _ **Shit**_. _What had he done?_

What the fuck had they just done? Had they really just ... Here in the kitchen where Sakura ... They had actually ...

_He was going to be sick._

The door slammed shut again, but Naruto refused to look up, keeping his eyes trained on the floor and he felt hot all over - not the pleasant heat he had been experiencing just now, no.

Instead, it was the vile heat of utter and complete shame and guilt.

A heavy, awkward silence, unlike any before between them, descended over the two men; neither one of them willing to break it first, to address what the hell had just happened between them.

What the fuck could Naruto even say? What did one say after kissing their married best friend?

_Married._

Naruto closed his eyes and bit down harshly on his lip. The word bounced around in his mind, taunting and reproachful, and it made him feel worse than before. Something he hadn't thought was possible. But he deserved it. He deserved feeling like shit for kissing the other man. What had he been thinking? How could they have done this? How could he have done this to his -

A phone beeped twice and they stirred; Naruto watching listlessly how Sasuke scrambled to retrieve his phone of the kitchen counter. Sasuke cursed at whatever he had read in the message and for one heart stopping moment Naruto feared the message was from Sakura.

"Jugo says I'm needed at the office," he muttered and a dark look crossed his face. "What the fuck did Suigetsu do now?"

Any other moment and Naruto would have gleefully pointed out that clearly Sasuke couldn't trust his office to run smoothly without him for a few hours, but he didn't dare to open his mouth now. Every word got stuck in his throat; his tongue refusing to move.

"Do I - should I drop you off at home?" Sasuke suggested stiffly and his tone made Naruto want to shrink.

It was a tone he had heard Sasuke mostly use when talking to his father; one the blond had never expected to hear aimed at himself. If he hadn't realised before how much he had fucked up things now, he certainly got the message now.

"Yeah, that's fine," he muttered and followed the dark haired man outside to his car.

Truthfully he didn't want to be confined in a small space with Sasuke at all right now - not after what they had just done, but the chances of Sasuke letting him take public transport were slim. The last thing he needed or wanted, was yet another argument about whether or not public transport was safe enough for him. Given the situation now, that argument would turn into a full blown out fight, making things worse between them. Not that Naruto thought things could go worse right now, but ...

Still, the silence between them was stifling and oppressive, and the drive to Deidara's and Itachi's place felt longer than before. Sasuke kept his gaze fixed straight forwards, his fingers clenched tightly around the steering wheel, and Naruto looked out of the window, trying to distract himself by counting the streetlights.

It didn't help.

When Sasuke stopped in front of the house, Naruto stepped out silently and the dark haired man left before Naruto had even turned around. He swallowed and ignored the hot sting behind his eyeballs. Hiding his trembling hands in the pockets of his hoodie, he approached the front door, recalling at the last second that Deidara was at work until at least five p.m. Praying he had remembered to take his keys with him, he nearly cried out in relief when his fingers closed around the warmed metal of the house key in his jeans pocket. He jammed it into the lock and shuffled inside; silence greeting him.

For a few minutes he remained in the hallway, lingering, not knowing what to do. What did one do after kissing their married best friend? God, he was fucked up. He not only risked losing Sasuke's friendship, but Sakura's too. There was no way she would want to be still friends with him when she heard that he had kissed her husband. If she knew how long Naruto had been in love with him ...

A shudder wrecked his body and he pressed his lips tightly together. _He was disgusting_. A disgusting low life who probably had just ruined his two closest friendships, just because he couldn't stop himself. Just because he had been too weak and too stupid to not have realised how this pregnancy would fuck him up.

His cheeks stinging with a thin trail of wet heat, Naruto shakily retrieved his phone out and scrolled through his contacts. He knew of only one person who wouldn't judge him right now, who would listen and who would hold back on saying "I told you so". He knew he fully deserved to be judged for what he had just done, but ...

The phone rang three times before it was picked up. Gaara's rough, sleepy voice soon filled his ears. "Naruto? I was just about to fall asleep. What's so important that you - "

"I fucked up," Naruto blurted out, before he could consider what he could say. He closed his eyes and sank down on the ground; his legs raised up and cradling his belly.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you think it is," the red haired man reassured him. "You always think you fucked up, but - "

"I kissed Sasuke."

There was a bout of silence, punctuated by their breathing as blue eyes stared unseeingly at a pair of black dressing shoes. "I'll be there in thirty minutes."

* * *

He made it in twenty. His face was expressionless as he ushered Naruto to his room, closing the door behind them even though nobody else was home yet. Gently he pushed the blond man down on his bed and sat down next to him, coaxing him to rest against the pillows he quickly pushed behind them.

"Tell me," he commanded softly. Words started spilling out Naruto's mouth like a waterfall, as if the dam had broken. They filled the air between them, audible proof of the horrible act he had just committed, giving a voice to the self-loathing currently filling him.

"I feel like such an arsehole," Naruto finished miserably, plucking relentlessly at a slightly loose thread in his blanket. "I should never have kissed him."

Gaara made a non-committal sound and when the pregnant man looked up, he expected to see disgust or utter shock plastered on his friend's face. This was the second time he admitted to someone else he was in love with Sasuke and it wasn't exactly easier. If anything, it felt worse precisely because of what he had just done. There was a difference between admitting to being in love with your best friend for years when nothing had happened and admitting the same thing after you had kissed him.

Gaara didn't look shocked, though. Nor disgusted or confused. He looked more resigned as if the worst thing he had expected to happen had come to pass.

"You don't seem surprised," Naruto remarked suspiciously, tensing up slightly.

The older man shrugged and released a soft sigh. "I've suspected for a while now that you're in love with him."

Naruto froze; a high pitched ringing sound filling his ears as panic slowly tightened its arms around him. "Am I that obvious? Who else knows?" he asked in a strangled voice. Had he been that fucking obvious? Did everyone know just how pathetic he was, pining after a married man? Had they been silently judging him for years? Did Sasuke know?

_Did Sakura?_

"Calm down," Gaara said sharply and squeezed his wrist tightly, forcing the blond to focus on the vice like grip. "Nobody else knows, I promise."

"How can you be so sure? What if Sakura-chan - "

"No offense, but Haruno isn't exactly the most observant person around. The only person she pays full attention to is Uchiha," Gaara retorted dryly, shaking his head.

"Somebody else could - "

"They don't," the green eyed man replied calmly. "I just can read you very well."

Unwillingly Naruto relaxed; the firm, confident tone of his friend setting him at ease. Gaara wouldn't lie to him; not about this.

Still, Gaara having noticed Naruto's crush was embarrassing, because he had always assumed he had kept his secret well hidden. Not hidden enough apparently. Then again, he had always been an open book for Gaara, so he shouldn't be surprised now that the man knew he was in love with Sasuke.

"You must think I'm pathetic, right?" Naruto mumbled, glancing away in shame.

"You're not pathetic," Gaara retorted instantly. He paused and added blankly, "Bad taste in men, no doubt about that, but not pathetic."

The corners of Naruto's mouth quirked up weakly, but any shred of amusement he could muster up at Gaara's comment was instantly dashed by heavy guilt. "I don't know what to do now," he admitted quietly, staring down at the pale green blanket. "I've ruined my friendship with Sasuke and when Sakura-chan finds out ..."

There would be hell to pay and he couldn't blame her for that.

"Did you make the first move or did he?" Gaara asked abruptly.

Naruto gaped at him, taken off guard by the strange question. "What?" he stammered confused.

"Were you the one to kiss him first or did he start it?" the red haired man clarified, looking thoughtful.

The blond man frowned. "I - don't know. I didn't really take notice of it. Just one minute we're not and the next we're kissing and then, yeah, ..." he trailed off with a grimace, staring down at his stomach which, now he thought about it, had started the whole thing. Feeling the baby kick had made the air between them weird and the next they had been kissing.

He shook his head, pursing his lips. "Does it matter, though, who started the kiss?"

"It does," Gaara replied easily. "Because from what you told me, it didn't seem like Uchiha was that opposed to kissing you."

"You're not helping," Naruto growled, glowering at his so called friend. He wouldn't even start contemplating whether Sasuke had actually liked the kiss or not. It was already a big mess now, thinking about that would only create an even bigger mess for him to deal with.

Besides, Sasuke was straight. He had never shown any interest in men. This kiss probably had been nothing but a fluke, a mistake, brought on by feeling exhilarant after feeling the baby kick.

Naruto had to tell himself that, because the alternative ... No, there was no alternative. He wouldn't even consider the existence of one.

"What should I do?" he asked glumly.

Gaara shrugged. "Talk to Uchiha first. Find out why he kissed you back." He stated it matter-of-factly as if it was really as easy as that and Naruto hadn't just kissed his best friend who was married to his other best friend.

"And what then?" the blond man demanded, staring at his friend gloomily.

Gaara pulled his legs up on the bed and gazed at him contemplatively. "That depends on what Uchiha's answer will be," he answered neutrally.

Of course it was. That was exactly what Naruto was afraid of.

* * *

Naruto had always prided himself on confronting issues head on. There was no point in hiding from them or avoiding them, because eventually they would catch up to you and _force_ you to deal with them, whether you were ready or not.

Now, he was ashamed to admit that he had taken to avoiding both Sasuke and Sakura. It had been a couple of days since the - since the _kitchen accident_ as he had started referring to it in his head. He had gone against Gaara's advice and hadn't contacted Sasuke. What was he supposed to say?

_Hey, yeah, remember the kiss we shared in your kitchen?_

_Care to tell me why you kissed me back?_

Yeah, no, he was definitely not doing that. The idea alone of asking about the kiss was enough to churn his stomach in a reminder of the mornings he had spent puking his guts out during the early months of the pregnancy.

He simply couldn't ask Sasuke. Whatever answer he would give, Naruto had already betrayed his darkest secret. _He had kissed Sasuke_. If those cats hadn't started fighting, who knew how far they would have gone? Naruto certainly hadn't had the restraint to keep himself in check. His reactions alone made it very clear to anyone with even half a brain that he had enjoyed the kiss way too much for it to be simply considered a fluke or a mistake on his part.

Sasuke had been consistently at the top of the class, had earned top marks in every class, every subject he tackled on. Naruto knew his mask had been good enough to fool Sasuke for years - if it hadn't been, the older man would have said something, he was sure - but not anymore.

That one kiss was his undoing. That one simple touch - it hadn't even been a deep kiss, for fuck's sake - had let Sasuke know that Naruto felt more for him than just friendship.

The thought of confronting Sasuke about the kiss - was absolutely terrifying. Sasuke knew his darkest secret now, would realise how pathetic he was for pining after him. Naruto stood on the verge of losing one of his closest friendships, all because he had made one stupid mistake. If he could turn back time and prevent this from ever happening, he would. Kissing the dark haired man wasn't worth it if he lost his friendship - and Sakura's friendship - over it.

Guilt and shame over what he had done and utter fear of what Sasuke would say kept him from reaching out. He knew he should. He couldn't keep ignoring this, no matter how much he wanted, but ...

He couldn't. He was a coward, plain and simple.

His phone lit up, vibrating softly on top of the wooden desk and blue eyes glanced at it, shuttering close when they noticed the name flashing accusingly up at him. He waited until the call had ended and then quickly typed up a message. _'Sorry. Busy with school projects. Talk to you later.'_

His thumb pressed on 'Send' before he could reconsider and he discarded his phone back on the desk, staring down blankly at the aquarelle painting he was grading. He wondered how long he could keep him at bay before the man became too annoyed. Or maybe he would give up on him all together now; the kiss being the straw that broke the camel's back.

He was jolted out of his dark musings by a kick aimed at his kidneys and he looked down, slowly rubbing over his stomach. "If only you knew," he murmured despondently.

He was starting to understand why everyone in his life had advised him against carrying the baby. He had never really considered just what kind of an impact a baby would have on him and his bonds with his friends. Everything had seemed so straightforward at the beginning ...

"Not that it is your fault that I'm such an idiot," Naruto reassured the baby, petting his belly carefully.

He received a kick in return.

* * *

It was one week later that Itachi knocked on Naruto's bedroom door, waving his phone in the air.

"Yeah, what's wrong? Something with Deidara-kun?" Naruto asked worriedly, turning away from his desk where he had been grading some essays.

Deidara had entered his eight month a week ago and had already experienced false contractions once before. Not that that meant he would go into an early labour, but it had made Naruto more alert - especially because it was something he had a chance of experiencing as well.

"He's fine," Itachi replied, but the frown on his face remained.

"Then what's wrong?" Naruto asked confused. It wasn't like Itachi to come knocking at his door this late in the evening. Not that the older man avoided him, but around this hour the couple usually had retired to their bedroom.

Dark eyes narrowed slightly. "Sasuke has been calling me several times this past week," Itachi explained slowly and Naruto couldn't help but tense up. That didn't escape Itachi's notice and the man raised an eyebrow. "Now I'm happy he wants to reconnect again, but the majority of his latest calls have been about one subject only."

"The stock market?" Naruto suggested feebly. He cringed when Itachi stared at him flatly.

"A certain blond man has apparently been avoiding him and refusing to call him back," the older man answered silkily. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I suggest you call him back and discuss it. I love my little brother, but my patience only goes so far. Call him back and do what you always do: talk."

With that said, Itachi turned around and went back to Deidara, considering his job done.

"Talk, huh?" Naruto snorted bitterly, his fingers tightening around his pen. "If only it were that simple."

For once, he doubted talking would really help.

* * *

Two days later it was Deidara's birthday. Desperate not to think about the kitchen accident, Naruto had thrown himself into his work and into his quest in finding a good present for his friend. It had been a meagre distraction, but seeing Deidara's face lit up when he unwrapped a book titled " _Create Your Own Fireworks!_ " was totally worth it.

"I knew there was a reason why I thought you were annoying," Itachi muttered darkly when he caught sight of the title and scowled at the younger blond man.

Naruto grinned back unrepentantly. "You're just jealous I found a better present than you," he said smugly and was rewarded with an eyeroll.

As Deidara started ripping off the paper from a gift which had been sent by one of his friends, Naruto stood up and stretched his arms a bit, announcing, "I'm going to steal some more of that chocolate ice cream."

Deidara hummed in vague acknowledgement; furrowing his eyebrows over whatever was in the package.

The cold air of the freezer was welcome against his heated face. May had announced itself with warm weather and while it still wasn't too hot yet, ice cream sounded heavenly right now. Grabbing the plastic container out of the freezer, he started hunting down a plate and an ice scream scooper. His ears picked up the sounds of approaching footsteps and he asked absentmindedly, "Hey, do you know where we put the ice cream scooper?"

The footsteps halted behind in, but the owner of them remained silent.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he turned his head to check which one of the two it was and -

Froze; ice even colder than the ice cream in his hands filling his stomach.

Unreadable, dark eyes regarded him. "We need to talk," Sasuke stated flatly.

What the hell was he doing here?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: *sniffs* Can you smell that? That's the smell of angst and drama lurking around the corner :D
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> I hope to see you all back in the next chapter, which will be posted on the 17th of November!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Well, this was an interesting chapter to write. I'm pretty sure it's something you've all been waiting for, so I can only hope I didn't mess it up!
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments! I really appreciate them!
> 
> Warnings: Angst, though not that heavy - I think
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 18_

"What are you doing here?" was Naruto's brilliant retort; his fingers cramping around the ice cream container.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Well, I dropped by to wish my future brother-in-law a happy birthday and give him my present," he drawled and his gaze sharpened. "And then I figured this was a good opportunity to talk with you, because a _certain someone_ has been ignoring my messages."

"There's nothing to talk about," Naruto replied stiffly, but his heart was doing summersaults in his chest and he placed the ice cream container down on the counter with a tremble in his hands that wasn't a result from the cold.

"Oh?" If possible, Sasuke's voice sounded frostier than the air at the North Pole. "There isn't? Odd, because I seem to recall that we kissed a week ago."

The blond man whirled around and threw a sharp look at the open doorway, praying that neither of the older men were listening right now. "And we shouldn't have done that," he hissed, curling his fingers around the edge of the counter behind his back. "End of story. Let's just - let's just forget it ever happened, all right?"

To his great consternation, the dark haired man took a few steps closer to him. "Forget it?" he repeated incredulously. "This is not something that's easy to forget, Naruto!"

Of course, now of all times Sasuke decided he was done being emotionally stunted and wanted to have a proper conversation. _Damn him_. "Well, try!" Naruto snapped, trying to keep his voice low enough not to attract any attention.

"Why?!"

"Because you're married, maybe?" Naruto retorted incredulously, throwing his hands up. He ignored the twinge in his heart and continued roughly, "We already fucked up once, Sasuke. Just a spur of the moment thing, because you got caught up in feeling the baby kick, that's all. Let's just forget about it and go on with our lives."

That was at least what Naruto had been trying to convince himself of for the past week. There was no real reason why Sasuke would have suddenly started kissing him, except for the fact that he had been caught up in his excitement about feeling his baby kicking. He had just let himself go and had forgotten that it was Naruto carrying his child and not Sakura and then _that_ happened. No other reason than that. There couldn't be any other reason. Naruto wouldn't let himself entertain another possibility, because he wouldn't be able to handle that. His heart was already on the verge of breaking now that he knew how it felt like to have Sasuke's full, undivided, loving attention and considering any other reason than excitement would destroy him.

Because in the end, nothing would change. Sasuke and Sakura were still married and in a couple of months they would be raising a baby together, forming that picture perfect family everyone dreamt of. There was no place for Naruto other than the best friend and uncle to their baby.

Their kiss didn't mean anything. Couldn't mean anything.

Sasuke started heatedly, "We can't just forget about this, you idiot! We need to - "

"Is there something wrong?" Itachi suddenly appeared behind Sasuke, raising an eyebrow when his little brother cursed and Naruto jumped in fright.

"Damn it, Itachi!" Naruto barked, placing a hand on his belly when he felt the baby fuss around, clearly not appreciating being startled as well. "One of these days I'm going to hang a collar with a bell around your neck! It's creepy how silent you are!"

"I don't know whether Deidara is up for something as kinky as that," Itachi retorted dryly.

The blond man sputtered and his cheeks burned fiercely; no doubt he was resembling a tomato right now.

"Itachi," Sasuke growled irritated, obviously not happy with his brother's interruption.

"No fighting in the kitchen on Deidara's birthday," Itachi reprimanded him; a strange look crossing his face for a few seconds.

Naruto froze; his heartbeat loud in his ears as he wondered how much the older man had picked up. Panic was simmering in his stomach and he shifted his foot, wanting to be anywhere else but here now.

"We're not fighting. We're having a - discussion," Sasuke replied stiffly, crossing his arms.

"Uhuh." Itachi sounded dubious as he looked back and forth between them.

The younger Uchiha ignored him and looked at Naruto again. "Look, Naruto, we really need to talk. In private," he added with a grimace.

"Best to talk in Naruto-kun's bedroom then, because I doubt I can keep Deidara from being curious much longer," Itachi remarked with a thin smile, appearing completely unaffected by the scowl blue eyes directed at him.

"Sounds like a great idea," Sasuke muttered and strode towards Naruto, snatching his wrist and tugging him along before the pregnant man could get his bearings.

Naruto opened his mouth to protest - the last thing he needed was to be _alone with Sasuke_ in his _bedroom_ \- but dark eyes glanced at him sharply and he shut his mouth with a click, following his friend meekly.

The sound of the door closing behind them had never rung so loudly and Naruto snatched his hand back, stumbling back to his desk in his haste to put some distance between him and the dark eyed man. Even with Sasuke lingering near the door, Naruto was hyper aware of his presence and every nerve in his body tingled.

He crossed his arms and muttered, "What's there to still talk about?"

"We kissed," Sasuke stated bluntly. "You claim I did it because I was excited to feel the baby kicking."

"What other reason can there - "

"Why did you kiss me back then?"

Naruto looked away, away from those penetrating dark eyes, and shame spread out through him once more. His fingers dug into his sides and he took a shuddering breath.

"Naruto, why did you kiss me back?" Sasuke's voice was soft now, but not less demanding and his presence seemed to fill the entire room, pressing down on Naruto, stifling the air.

"What does it matter?" he muttered flatly; the words nearly inaudible. Couldn't he at least have this one secret left? Did he really have to bare himself, confess everything because he made one stupid mistake? Because he couldn't hold himself back once, did he really ...

"It matters. A lot," the other one answered and his voice sounded so off, so strange, that Naruto couldn't help but glance up quickly at him.

He wished he hadn't.

Dark eyes caught his and refused to let him go. There was something swirling in those depths, something Naruto couldn't, didn't dare to, immediately identify, but which had his own stomach doing uncomfortable flip-flops.

He made another attempt at cutting off the subject before it completely entered dangerous territory. "No, it doesn't. We just need to forget - "

"Naruto."

Blue eyes closed in resignation, recognising that particular inflection in that voice. There was no getting out of this, no way to beat around the bush anymore. He had kept quiet for years about it, but he would no longer be allowed to do that. Sasuke wanted answers and no matter how long it took he would get them. People often said Naruto was incredibly stubborn, but the truth was that Sasuke was even more stubborn than him. The older man was like a pit bull - once he set his teeth into something, he wouldn't let go, no matter what happened.

Naruto had always admired that particular trait of his friend, but now he cursed it, because it meant that most likely -

He would lose at least one friendship today.

His voice was hollow when he answered, "Because I wanted to."

There. He said it. His most embarrassing secret, the one which filled him with shame over and over again whenever he witnessed his friends' affection towards each other, was out in the open now.

"What do you mean - you wanted to?" Sasuke asked haltingly as if he wasn't certain whether he had understood his friend correctly.

_Third time's the charm, right?_ , Naruto thought sarcastically. "What do you think I mean?" he laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "I'm in love with you."

The words hurt leaving his throat and they hung heavily in the air, weighing down on them. He tried to swallow, but something blocked his throat and his mouth felt dry all of a sudden, parched as if he hadn't had a drink in ages.

The silence that fell between them was stifling and he barely dared to move; his muscles cramping up as more and more tension snuck in them. He desperately wished to take the words back, to be able to laugh them off, claim they were a joke, but it was too late now.

It had been too late the second he had kissed Sasuke back.

The only question now was: how long would it take for the dark haired man to cut ties with him? _Maybe he'll wait until after the baby's born_ , he thought miserably and blinked rapidly, pushing back the sharp sting heralding hot tears. He was _not_ going to cry. He would not. This was already humiliating enough without blubbering like a baby.

"How long?" The question was like a thunderclap, splitting the silence apart.

Well, he had already humiliated himself by confessing his darkest secret; it couldn't become any worse than this he supposed despondently. "Years," he admitted quietly, hugging himself tighter. The shame and humiliation burnt brighter in him, making him feel sick.

"Why did you never say anything?"

"What was I supposed to say? I didn't know whether you were interested in guys and I wasn't willing to risk our friendship. Although I guess that doesn't matter anymore," he said sourly.

From his peripheral vision he saw Sasuke shifting and moving one foot and blue eyes closed; expecting to hear the door opening and closing any second now. It would serve him right if Sasuke decided to cut all ties now. The kiss had already been stupid, but admitting he had been in love with him for years ...

There were no words to describe how humongous idiotic that was.

The soft, nearly inaudible noise of his bedsprings had him look up in surprise and his mouth fell open slightly when he saw Sasuke sitting on his bed. He wasn't leaving? What did this mean?

"I kissed you because I wanted to," Sasuke said; his voice steady even when a tremor went through his hands before he clasped them together.

The comment was so unexpected, so out of the range of possible statements Naruto had expected, that he was certain he had misheard him. Clearly he had reached new levels of pathetic because Sasuke couldn't have possibly admitted something as unbelievable as that. Sasuke was straight. He was married to Sakura. There was no way he would ever want to kiss Naruto - or any guy - out of his own volition.

Whether or not he had misheard Sasuke, the shock was enough to leave him stumped and the older man continued to fill the silence.

Dark eyes remained fixated on the floor as Sasuke began, his voice strangely hollow, "After my brother left, father focused all his attention on me. I _had_ to be the best of the class; I _had_ to excel in any extracurricular activities; I couldn't waste my time anymore with 'frivolities' as he liked to call them. Uchiha were the best and nothing else was accepted."

Naruto remembered. Fugaku had never been an easy man, but he had changed for the worse after Itachi had left the family. Suddenly Sasuke, who had been fighting for his whole life already to be acknowledged by his father on the same level as his brother, received the attention he had been desperately craving. Fugaku started to pay more attention to his youngest son, asking after his grades and his activities at school, wondering where he ranked with his results.

Sasuke's grades had always been great and like his older brother he had excelled in the sports he had taken up at school, but it hadn't been good enough. Fugaku demanded more, he demanded perfection, and Sasuke had tried his best to reach those demands.

If it hadn't been for Mikoto's interference and Naruto's stubbornness, there was no doubt Sasuke would have had a nervous breakdown eventually. Mikoto had managed to get it through Fugaku's thick skull that constant studying and no relaxing at it would be more detrimental for Sasuke's results - which were consistently the best of the class and their year either way - than the occasional afternoon off with friends. That particular discussion was the only time Naruto could remember witnessing Mikoto actually becoming pissed off. She already hadn't been happy to have her oldest son leaving the family, but Fugaku's inane demands of perfection had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Fugaku had reluctantly agreed, but the damage had already been done. Naruto didn't think he would ever forgive the older man for causing his best friend to nearly break down.

"I was father's last chance," Sasuke chuckled bitterly, running a hand through his black blue hair. "Itachi-niisan had become a disappointment, a disgrace to the family and god forbid I would turn out the same way."

Naruto flinched, biting down on his lower lip. He knew Fugaku was homophobic, had never cared about that because why would he care about that pompous arse? But hearing those same words coming from Sasuke's mouth, even when he knew that wasn't how Sasuke thought about men like him ... It stupidly felt like a slap in his face.

Maybe those pregnancy hormones were messing more with him than he had expected.

"Father literally told me I should never follow Itachi's path, because that was the path of failure," Sasuke continued flatly; his face blank. "And because I was so pathetically glad to finally have his attention, I didn't question him and just did whatever was needed to get his approval. I was so goddamn stupid," he sneered.

"You're not stupid," Naruto protested, jumping to his defence automatically even though this time it was Sasuke himself making the disparaging comment. Sasuke was far from stupid; if anything he had to be some kind of saint or perfect child to be able to deal with Fugaku's ridiculous demands.

The dark haired man ignored his interruption and went on, "I had become so used to following his orders that I ... didn't question him when he told me it was time to find a girl who would be suitable to marry."

All of a sudden Naruto had a foreboding feeling and his stomach cramped as he listened in quiet unsettledness. His tongue felt numb and even though he wanted to say he didn't want to hear the rest, just knowing he wouldn't like it, his tongue and lips refused to budge.

"I never - thought about who I would marry. Living with my father didn't allow me to think about whom I would date if I had the chance," Sasuke said softly; his eyes distant as if he was remembering something. The corners of his mouth pulled up in a bitter grimace. "Although I guess I didn't really have a choice, did I? Father suggested I marry someone from the Hyuuga; they met his high standards." He snorted, shaking his head in disgust.

Yeah, Naruto definitely wasn't liking where this conversation was going, but it was as if he was glued onto the floor, unable to leave.

"That was the first and only request I refused to fulfil," Sasuke murmured; a dark look crossing his face momentarily. "He was angry, telling me I couldn't just marry any girl, because we had a 'reputation' to uphold. He gave me a year to find a girl."

A moment of silence fell in the room; the tense quiet only disturbed by their breathing: that of Naruto uneven and quick and that of Sasuke slow and serene as if he was merely telling a fairy tale.

"I didn't want to marry a Hyuuga, but I've never been as brave as my brother," Sasuke said; his bitterness so palpable Naruto could almost envision seeing it hanging around the older man like a dark cloud. "I had no interest in marrying a girl, but I had a deadline to meet and I was afraid to find out what father would do if I didn't introduce him to a girl. I could only come up with one solution: ask a girl I knew to marry."

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered; his ears ringing and his mind churning with the overload of information he was suddenly drowning in. How had he never known this?

Sasuke nodded slowly. "She's my friend and I needed someone I could trust. Someone who would be on my side and would be able to stand up against my father."

"Does she - does she know that you ..." Naruto was unable to finish his question, but the other man understood him.

"I told her everything," he stated flatly. "I explained her why the marriage was necessary and why I wanted it to be her. But I also told her that I - that I will probably never love her like a husband should. She's a good friend of mine and I didn't want to give her false hope. She agreed."

Naruto remained quiet, unsure how to react to this sudden revelation. Everything he had thought to be true turned out completely wrong. He had believed his best friends to be in love with each other; had seen how happy Sakura had been when she announced the upcoming marriage. That had been the moment he had sworn he would never reveal his feelings, not wanting to come between his best friends.

Now it turned out that their marriage was ... What? A marriage of convenience? But those looks couldn't be faked, surely? Sakura looked so in love every time she so much as glanced at Sasuke ...

"Father approved of her and we got married," Sasuke murmured blankly. He stirred and visibly hesitated before continuing, "I was ... content. Everything could have been so much worse and at least I could trust Sakura to be on my side. Something which I couldn't with a Hyuuga wife."

Black eyes slowly looked up and locked onto wide, cerulean blue ones, keeping the blond trapped in his gaze. "Then you made that offer and we slept together. And I started questioning everything."

Naruto barely dared to breathe, feeling like a deer trapped underneath the hungry eyes of a predator. One wrong move and it would be over. His heart hammered in his chest and it wouldn't surprise him if Sasuke could hear it from all the way over there.

"Like I said, I never got the chance to decide whether I could be interested in men or not. Then we had sex and I," Sasuke took a shuddering breath; his cheeks dusting a pale rose, "I couldn't keep it out of my head for some reason. I tried to ignore it at first, told myself it was just because it was something different."

Naruto's mouth was as dry as the desert now; his stomach flipping and churning so much it was a miracle he hadn't thrown up yet.

"I - I watched some videos. Trying to figure out whether it was just you or you know, men in general." Sasuke's voice was nearly inaudible at this admission and his tongue peeked out to lick his lips.

A jolt went through the pregnant man and he flushed beet red when he realised to which kind of videos Sasuke was referring to. His stomach did a flip for a whole different reason now.

Sasuke rose up from the bed, but didn't take a step forwards. Instead he lingered next to the bed, his voice hypnotic when he said, "It turned out to be you. Just you. Still I convinced myself nothing was wrong. I was just ... a bit more affected by our sex than I thought I would be. That's what I told myself." He took a deep breath and his eyes darkened. "The day you got attacked ... That was the first time I realised how devastated I would be if I lost you."

"What - what are you saying?" Naruto asked roughly; the words scraping his throat. Inside his belly the baby was kicking up a fuss, clearly not happy with his carrier being so agitated.

"I'm saying that - I made a huge mistake three years ago," Sasuke murmured and took a step closer. "I'm saying that I should never have listened to father."

Naruto's chuckle was shrill, too high. "You're just confused," he babbled nervously. "It's just because I'm carrying your baby now and that has your father instincts going in overdrive and that's why - "

"I know what I feel," Sasuke cut him off harshly; his eyebrows furrowing. "I know what I was doing when I kissed you."

The blue eyed man shut his mouth and a tremble went through his form when the older man slowly neared.

"I made some huge mistakes in my life and one of them was not standing up to my father," Sasuke murmured; his features softening a fraction. "But I want things to change from now on."

Naruto started shaking his head, feeling torn in two. On the one hand this was what he had been dreaming of for so long, hearing Sasuke reciprocate his feelings, but on the other hand this was _all wrong_.

All his fantasies had revolved around Sasuke being single, not married to their other best friend, even if that marriage turned out to be one of convenience instead. It didn't matter. He couldn't hurt Sakura like that, even if Sasuke told her he would never love her like that. It wouldn't be fair to her when Naruto could see how much she loved the Uchiha heir.

Why, oh why, couldn't Sasuke have done this sooner? Why did he have to realise his feelings _now_? Now, when nothing could be done about them without hurting either one of them.

_Why was life so unfair?_

He froze when his hands were grabbed and held by slightly cooler ones. Blue eyes stared down at them, noticing the contrast in skin colour and how their hands were entangled in front of his protruding belly.

"Naruto, look at me," Sasuke ordered softly and there was no way Naruto could refuse.

His swallow was loud in the room and eyes slowly rose up, gliding over a black shirt covered chest, up to the collarbones peeking from underneath the cloth, to a neck, a sharp jaw, black blue locks framing a handsome face before they finally landed on smouldering, black eyes.

"I ask you to give us a chance," Sasuke said softly.

"We can't, Sasuke. Sakura-chan ..."

"Let me handle her. I just want to find out how good we can be together. For the first time in my life I want to make a decision of my own." Black eyes grew more intense, refusing to break the gaze. "I want to make the choice that I never really got and I choose you."

"Sasuke, I ..." Naruto shook his head slowly, lost for words.

Pale hands squeezed his own. "Don't make a decision yet. Please think about it. I know there's something between us, something strong, and I don't want to ignore that any longer." Sasuke released his hands and took a step back; his eyes swirling with so many emotions it made Naruto want to look away in embarrassment. "Just think about it, okay? That's all I ask. If you really don't want it - then I won't push. Above everything you're still my best friend and I don't want to lose you."

_I don't want to lose you either_ , Naruto wanted to say, but nothing left his mouth.

Sasuke nodded, as if he still understood him and turned around. "Contact me when you're ready," he murmured and then left, as silent as a ghost.

But the impact of his words, his request, his confession, was much louder; the words seemingly bouncing back and forth between the walls, and Naruto shivered, resting a hand on his stomach, feeling the baby kick against his pinkie.

Outside the sun shone bright and warm, colouring everything golden. It all looked so peaceful. If only Naruto could say he felt the same way.

He slid down the wall onto the floor and buried his face in his hands; the cold touch of the wall against his neck doing nothing to relieve the sudden burning heat spreading throughout his body.

What the hell was he supposed to do now?

* * *

His nights were restless, his days passing by too quickly.

Sasuke's confession kept running through his mind, refusing to give him a moment's rest. He became easily distracted, having to correct himself multiple times throughout the week because he kept marking correct explanations as wrong in his students' essays. Jiraiya was becoming worried, knowing it wasn't like Naruto to be that distracted.

He couldn't tell the other man what was wrong, though.

Everything he had wished ever since he had realised his true feelings for his friend was in his grasp. All he had to do was reach out and reel it in. How many times hadn't he dreamt of this exact scenario?

How many times hadn't he imagined how it would be if Sasuke told him he felt the same?

Too many to count, enough to leave him embarrassed, ashamed for what he felt.

He had been content - or well not content, but as close to content as possible - to remain in Sasuke's life as his best friend, deciding that having his friendship was more precious than risking losing it all just for a chance to confess. Sasuke seemed happy and therefore Naruto was happy.

Simple as that.

Only, it wasn't that simple anymore. One word and Naruto would have what he had dreamt of and longed for, for so long. One call and that would be enough.

If he was a good person, he would call Sasuke immediately and tell him to forget everything, that they could never become more than best friends. They had Sakura to think of and she didn't deserved to get hurt, stabbed in the back by the two people she trusted the most. Even with her marriage being one of convenience, she deserved better.

And yet ... And yet ...

What was he supposed to do?

* * *

His hand shook when he slipped his phone out of his pocket and he had to re-enter the number a couple of times, cursing his trembling fingers.

He was alone in his room, Sunday evening, while Itachi and Deidara were watching television downstairs. He pressed his phone against his ear, licking his lips as he waited for the call to connect. His free hand reached down to stroke his belly, trying to soothe the baby when he kicked his kidney harshly.

"Yes?" The deep timbre of his voice echoed through the phone.

Blue eyes fell shut. "I - I thought about it and I - I want to find out too."

"Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke said softly.

"Yeah," Naruto whispered, opening his eyes and staring at a picture of the three of them, laughing.

Guess he wasn't the good person he had always thought he was after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: You remember the couple of times I mentioned that a chapter was hard to write? Well, this one stomps on them all when it comes to difficulty *sweatdrops* I worked on it for days, rewrote several paragraphs ... This was a nightmare to finish, let me tell you.
> 
> I really hope it doesn't come across as rushed or as out of character :/ Naturally the story will go deeper in on Naruto's feelings now and his guilt.   
> But well, at least they made the next step? *clears throat and smiles nervously*
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the first of December!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter was surprisingly hard to write. I wanted to portray Naruto's feelings well, so I hope I didn't screw it up!
> 
> Fun fact: the song Not Strong Enough kind of inspired some scenes in this chapter; it definitely reminds me a lot of Sasuke and Naruto.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and the comments; they make me really happy to read!
> 
> Warnings: angst; flashback; cheating
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 19_

If someone had told him years ago that one day, when he was twenty-four years old, he would be in the back of a car with Sasuke making out like they were horny teenagers - he would have declared them insane and would have laughed straight into their face. Then he would have gone home to sulk and try not to imagine how it would feel to make out with his best friend.

He didn't have to imagine it anymore now, though.

The leather of the backseats whispered when the two bodies on it moved, pressing themselves as close to each other as possible. Naruto's back rested against the door; his hoodie serving as a makeshift pillow. He tilted his head back, turning slightly to the right, and breathed in through his nose, his lips meeting the other one's in a kiss – one of the many they had shared so far. Hands slipped around his waist and rested on his back for a moment, before they slipped underneath his shirt; searing heat against his bare skin. He spread his left leg as wide apart as he could, the right one pressed up against the back of the seat, and Sasuke shifted closer, slotting between his legs like they were pieces of the same puzzle.

His skin, his mouth, everything tingled where Sasuke touched him and he shivered when dark bangs brushed across his cheeks. The kiss was growing more insistent, more pressure put behind it, and his lips parted.

The tips of their tongues touched and Naruto' brain shortcut. He surged upwards as much as the small space and Sasuke's close proximity allowed, and returned the newly deepened kiss enthusiastically; his fingers gripping dark strands tightly. His belly was cradled between them and a soft gasp escaped the blond man when their mouths broke apart. Dark eyes burned straight into his before lips attached themselves to a spot right underneath his ear, mouthing at the skin.

He had always been ridiculously sensitive there and he couldn't help but squirm a bit, torn between pressing closer and pulling away. A hand came to rest on his knee before his left leg was urged against Sasuke's hip, caging the older man's hips between Naruto's legs.

Naruto's head thumped against the window as Sasuke continued his merciless assault on his neck and he made a vague note to wear something around his neck to hide the hickeys which were no doubt blooming up underneath Sasuke's mouth.

Soft noise of enjoyment were coaxed out of him as Sasuke kept kissing his neck and their hips thrusted irregularly against each other. Blue eyes rolled back and up, gazing at the dark ceiling of the car; one of his hands drifted down, over a strong back, and crumpled the pristine white shirt between his fingers.

It hadn't been a week yet since their phone call, but this was the second time they met up during Naruto's lunchbreak. They had shared lunch first, but now they were back in the car, making the most of the remaining time Naruto had before he would have to go back to teach his next class. How long did he still have? Fifteen minutes? Ten?

A soft nip at his collarbone made him gasp in surprise, his eyes shooting back open – when had he closed them? – staring straight into gleaming, dark ones. Sasuke smirked, but before Naruto could say anything, he lowered his head and their mouths found each other again.

All his thoughts became jumbled, discarded, as Naruto lost himself in the deep kiss. Who cared about time, when he had this?

* * *

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" Sasuke muttered and stole another kiss.

"Yeah, okay," Naruto replied roughly and cleared his throat, praying his face wasn't as flushed as he feared it was when he stepped out of the car.

Sasuke left, back to his office, and Naruto took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air, tinged with the aroma of flowers, and shook his head to clear it.

He turned around and slowly made his way back to the school, tugging the collar of his shirt up in an attempt to hide the evidence of his make out session.

Around him students were leisurely walking to the large building, laughing, arguing and discussing their assignments. Their bright chatter stood in sharp contrast to the quiet solitude of Sasuke's car and he swallowed; his stomach starting to churn now that he was back outside, no longer surrounded by Sasuke's presence, drowning in his lingering touches and breath stealing kisses.

_He was the lowest of the low._

It was so easy to forget that Sasuke was already spoken for when they were in their own bubble. Sasuke's kisses and touches were quickly becoming addictive, turning his brain into useless mush. So easy to pretend that it was just the two of them.

After their phone call on Sunday had ended, Naruto had panicked for the rest of the evening, wondering just what the fuck he had said yes to. What the hell had he been thinking? That had been the problem, though: he hadn't been. For years he had kept silent about his feelings, so certain that nothing would come of it. Why humiliate himself and possibly drive away one of his best friends, when he could keep silent and soak up every scrap of attention he could get? It had worked for years.

But then Sasuke had dropped that bomb and things Naruto thought he would never be able to have, were now in his reach. All he had to do was hold out his arms and reel it in.

In all his fantasies, though, he had never factored in Sakura. He should have refused. Should have stopped this thing before it even had a chance to grow. What they did was despicable. Even if she knew what the marriage entailed, that didn't mean either of the men had the right to hurt her like that. If Naruto was a better man, he would confess everything to her and leave it up to her to decide what she would do. If he was a better friend, he would stop seeing Sasuke immediately and shut down any contact between them.

It was just …

He had tried several times to get Sasuke out of his mind. He had gone on various dates, had even had some relationships, but they had all stranded, because he couldn't remove Sasuke from his mind nor his heart. He had attempted to put some distance between them, figuring not seeing or talking to the man as much as before would help him get over him.

Clearly he had failed.

No matter what he did, no matter how many dates he had, men he met, he couldn't let go of Sasuke. It didn't matter how hard he tried to get over him – the bastard had an unbreakable hold over him.

That was no excuse, of course. Nothing could excuse this. But …

 _He wanted Sasuke_. He wanted this. After years of suppressing his feelings, of ignoring the hurt every time he saw his friends kiss – after all those years, he finally got what he wanted. He wasn't noble enough to refuse this, wasn't strong enough to say no. _He didn't want to say no._

He wanted to be selfish and accept everything Sasuke wanted to give him. Sasuke, who wanted _him_. Something he had envisioned being impossible, but which now turned out to be true.

_Sasuke wanted him too._

After their phone call, Naruto had feared it had all just been a mistake. That when it came down to it, Sasuke didn't really want him after all and had just been confusing his feelings. It seemed too good to be true, after all. Why would Sasuke return his feelings after all those years? He was just confused because Naruto was carrying his baby, that was all.

But the Sasuke who had called him right before his lunchbreak on Monday hadn't sounded confused. Far from it actually.

" _Yes?" Naruto picked up his phone apprehensively, not sure what to think when he saw Sasuke's name flashing across the screen. He still couldn't believe he had actually called the older man yesterday to agree to – yes, what would it be? A relationship? What did you call something like that? Was the dark haired man calling him to discuss their conversation of yesterday?_

_Or was Sasuke calling him today to let him know it had been a mistake after all? His heart thudded painfully and his fingers tightened around his phone._

" _Do you have any plans for your lunchbreak?" Sasuke inquired without preamble._

_The blond man was taken aback by the unexpected question. "Eh, no. Just you know, eat my lunch," he answered lamely, tapping his pen erratically against his desk._

" _Want to share lunch with me?"_

" _Eh, sure," Naruto agreed hesitantly._

" _Good, I'll come pick you up." And the phone was hung up before Naruto could even formulate a retort._

_Blue eyes blinked and Naruto lowered his phone, staring at it bemused. Well, Sasuke didn't sound troubled or standoffish … That was a good sign, right? Still …_

_Nerves started rampaging through his body as he slowly packed his bag and cleared his desk. His hands shook slightly and his heartbeat was loud in his ears, drowning out all other sounds. He stood up and after casting another glance at the desk – which was now empty save for some chalk and some pens – he walked out of the room and locked it. After his lunchbreak he had two hours free before he would have to teach his last class of the day._

_His legs felt unsteady as he slowly made his way through the corridors, passing some straggling students, a classroom in which Sasori's voice drifted out, admonishing a student for not paying enough attention. Then he was outside, warm air caressing his face and arms, and he lowered himself down on one of the benches, which luckily were granted the shade of the trees behind it. The days were slowly becoming warmer and warmer, though he still brought his hoodie with him, just in case the weather decided to be temperamental._

_Placing his bag next to him on the bench, he focused on the passing cars, counting them to take his mind off the upcoming meeting with Sasuke, in which the man might or might not tell him he didn't want to try after all._

_Naruto didn't know which one he preferred._

_He_ should _want Sasuke telling him that he didn't want to do this after all, that he didn't want to try a relationship with the blond man. Naruto shouldn't have even called him to say he wanted to give them a try. Sasuke was married to Sakura, for fuck's sake! What kind of person made that of Naruto that he would hurt his best friend by having an affair with her husband? He was so incredibly fucked up, there were no words to …_

" _You ready to go?"_

_The words made him jump, his heart skipping a beat, as his head shot up; the baby gave a startled kick near his kidney. Sasuke was standing in front of him, dressed in a pale blue shirt and black trousers, looking at him with one eyebrow raised._

" _You okay?" he asked; his dark eyes shifting from Naruto's face to his rounded belly, clearly visible through his thin, orange shirt._

" _Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just – didn't see you arrive," Naruto mumbled and rose up, rubbing absentmindedly over his stomach to soothe the baby. Before he could reach down to grab his bag, Sasuke had already picked it up; his hand brushing against Naruto's. The soft, barely there touch sent a shiver up Naruto's spine._

" _How's the baby?" Sasuke asked, placing a hand on Naruto's back to guide him to his car._

_Almost instinctively the blond man caressed his stomach, feeling another kick aimed at his hand. Ever since he had felt the baby move for the first time, he had become more aware of the kicking and fussing. Sometimes it felt like the child was trying to use his intestines as his own personal punching bag. "He's fine," he reassured his friend. "Feels sometimes like he's training to become a boxer."_

_Sasuke snorted and opened the door of his car for Naruto. "He must have got his energy from you," he smirked and he closed the door before the pregnant man could form some sort of reply._

_As it was, Naruto was left speechless, caught off guard by the unexpected remark and he looked down, a tad flustered for some reason. He cleared his throat and asked Sasuke, who had just slid behind the wheel, "So where are we going to eat?"_

_The mischievous smile quirking up the corners of Sasuke's mouth had Naruto blinking in surprise. "I thought we could go eat some ramen from that restaurant you like so much," he answered casually, smoothly re-entering traffic._

That _made Naruto perk up immediately and he almost started salivating at the thought of finally getting to eat some real ramen again. "You mean it?" he asked hopefully, twisting around to stare at the dark haired man._

" _You'd kill me if I dared to joke about that," Sasuke retorted dryly, turning left, following a dark blue car._

" _Damn right I would," Naruto huffed, but his face split into a wide grin and he barely could sit still. It had been almost a month since Sasuke had brought him take out ramen and he was going to revel in being able to eat ramen again – the real deal this time!_

_And revel he did. He ended up eating three bowls in the end, taking advantage of Sasuke's offer. Who knew when he would be able to eat ramen again? The ramen tasted as delicious as ever and while he did his best, he couldn't suppress a moan or two of enjoyment, relishing in the taste dancing over his tongue._

_They only talked about their work and a bit about Itachi and Deidara, never straying away from those topics. The atmosphere between them was so relaxed it was easy for Naruto to forget his guilt for a while and not think about their phone call yesterday._

" _Ah, you don't know how much I missed eating ramen," Naruto sighed happily, smacking his lips together. They were walking back to the car after Sasuke had paid for their lunch. The blond man had protested, pointing out he could pay for his own share – as he had eaten more than Sasuke had – especially now that he didn't have to worry about rent or groceries. He had thought he had won the argument, Sasuke seemingly given in, but then the baby had kicked against his bladder and the call of nature had been too difficult to ignore. When Naruto had come back to the table, the sneaky bastard he called his best friend had already paid the bill._

_He had delivered a half-hearted kick against Sasuke's right shin, but had given up on arguing. He would just need to make sure he was quicker next time._

" _I think I can wager a guess," Sasuke smirked, pointing his key at the car to unlock it. He had parked near the back of the car park underneath the shade of a large tree. Its branches were long and nearly dragged across the ground, forming some kind of curtain on one side._

_Naruto pouted and lightly punched the other man's shoulder. "Shut up; do you know how much I've been suffering, not being able to eat ramen as much as I'd like?"_

" _I know and I appreciate it," Sasuke murmured; his dark eyes flashing as he opened the door and gestured inside._

_Not able to decide whether the comment was meant in jest or not, Naruto just slipped inside the car before he could run off his mouth and say something stupid._

" _Thanks for the lunch," he said with a smile when Sasuke sank down behind the steering wheel and closed the door behind him. "Even though I could have paid my share of it," he couldn't help but point out once more._

" _You're welcome," Sasuke smirked, but made no move to start the car._

_Suddenly the air in the car became charged, the previous light-heartedness swept away by something darker, something heavier. Naruto swallowed and looked down at his bump, wondering what the hell he should say now. He should probably mention their call from yesterday, tell Sasuke that he had changed his mind after all. He couldn't do this, couldn't hurt Sakura like that even if …_

_His breath hitched when slender fingers brushed against his cheek before cupping it; the strength behind it coaxing him to look up and meet dark eyes._

_Sasuke was leaning forwards; his eyes so intense it nearly hurt Naruto to look into them. "Naruto, did you mean what you said yesterday?" Sasuke murmured; his warm breath caressing Naruto's mouth._

_Naruto's mouth felt dry all of a sudden and his hands clenched into fists on his lap. He thought about lying, saying he had changed his mind, that this was all a giant mistake. But Sasuke's steadfast gaze upon him, his firm touch, had the lie drying up before it could even form in his mouth._

_Ashamed he looked away; his stomach churning with guilt. "I mean it, yeah," he admitted in a whisper, feeling like the world's biggest arsehole for admitting it. "But Sakura-chan …"_

" _I'll handle her, don't worry about it," Sasuke repeated his assurance firmly. "I just want to know whether you choose me – us."_

" _I – I – I do, but what about …" The words died in his throat and he clenched his teeth together, glancing down at his belly._

What about the baby?

_If he and Sasuke – if he and Sasuke really tried this, would start a relationship with each other – what was going to happen with the baby then? Would he – would he still need to hand him over to Sakura even if Sasuke decided to choose completely for him? Or … would he and Sasuke raise him together? Form their own family? What about Sakura then?_

" _What about what, Naruto?" Sasuke questioned; his thumb slowly caressing Naruto's cheek._

_The blond man offered a weak smile, placing his hand over Sasuke's. "Nothing," he mumbled. He was a coward, but ... He wasn't ready yet to discuss what they would do about the baby. They should, he knew, especially because his due date was slowly creeping up on them, but he couldn't._

_Not now. Not when he still didn't know what to expect from Sasuke, from them together._

" _Just … Are you sure about this? About – us?" Naruto asked tentatively, timidly._

_It sounded too good to be true after all._

" _I've never been so sure in my life," Sasuke murmured and before Naruto could say something, before he could think of pulling back, putting a stop to this, lips touched his own softly._

_For a moment Naruto remained frozen, his mind wiped blank. Then there was a hand sliding around the back of his neck, pulling him closer, and lips pressed more insistently again his, coaxing him to react._

_The scent of Sasuke – pure his, not hindered by anything artificial – filled Naruto's nostrils; his touch left burning imprints behind; his warm breath mingling with that of his._

_What they were doing, was horrible. Disgusting._ Wrong _._

_It also felt good, right, like nothing else had ever felt before. Like the universe was aligning itself finally after all this time; like the last piece of the puzzle had found its home._

_Naruto gave in, gave up, losing himself in that all-consuming kiss, ignoring the way he was twisted around uncomfortably, the way things dug in his leg and belly._

_All he knew was Sasuke – his scent, his touch, his kiss, the feeling of his shirt crinkling underneath Naruto's desperate grasp …_

_This was …. This was … Everything._

Naruto was worse than scum, but he couldn't hold himself back. Now that he had had a taste of how being with Sasuke was, he couldn't stop himself.

Didn't want to stop.

Being with Sasuke felt right, felt good, everything he felt like he had been missing falling into place finally.

If he was a good friend, he would stop this immediately. If he was a decent human being, he wouldn't have even started this thing.

But he couldn't resist Sasuke or the promise of a life together. Everything he had dreamt of was within reach now and he couldn't say no.

Sasuke was the flame and he was the helpless moth drawn towards his brilliance.

He was playing with fire – but even the threat of getting burnt wasn't enough to stop him.

He paused in front of his classroom, resting a hand on his belly when he felt the baby kick and fuss around a bit before settling again. The baby had been active in the car as well; as if he had sensed his father's presence.

Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he plucked his phone out of his pocket and selected the number he needed out of his contact list.

"Naruto? Something you need?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "Hey Gaara, can you meet up tonight?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I know it isn't as action filled as some of the others were, but I felt like this was necessary. I hope I at least succeeded in bringing across Naruto's guilt and at the same time the yearning he feels to continue this thing with Sasuke. ^^; The drama will slowly grow ...
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the fifteenth of December. I hope to see you all back in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I've had a bit of trouble writing this chapter; mainly the last part of it. I hope it isn't too bad!
> 
> IMPORTANT QUESTION: Would you guys mind if Deidara and Naruto were able to breastfeed the babies? I have an explanation in mind as to why that would work; I also have a scene in mind that would work the best if they're able to breastfeed. However, I also know that this is one of those subjects that you either love or hate, so I want to hear your opinion about it, guys. The majority will decide whether breastfeeding will be a part of the story or not. 
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and the comments! I really appreciate each and every one :)
> 
> I can't believe this story passed 500 kudos already! :O
> 
> Warnings: some angst; nothing else in particular I think
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 20_

Deidara's muted conversation with Itachi drifted upwards through the floor; the only sound breaking the silence between the two men sitting on the bed.

"Gaara? Can you please say something?" Naruto asked nervously, no longer able to stand the silence. After his call earlier today, the red haired man had promised to come over after dinner. Once here Naruto had told him everything: from Sasuke's unexpected confession to the sneaking around to the guilt the blond man was experiencing about all of this.

Yet the guilt wasn't big enough to make him put a stop to it. He just didn't know what to do now. So he had told Gaara everything, needing at least someone to be able to make sense of the mess he had created for himself.

With each second which passed without a word from the older man, though, Naruto grew more and more nervous and he started regretting opening up to his friend. Gaara was probably disgusted with him now and really, could he blame him?

Naruto was the lowest of scum, as simple as that.

The body next to him stirred and Naruto whipped his head to the left, staring anxiously at the green eyed man. He held his breath when Gaara raised a hand and rubbed tiredly over his forehead.

"Well, at least you found out why he kissed you back in the first place," he said flatly; the first words he had uttered since he had been pulled into Naruto's bedroom upon arrival.

The pregnant man groaned and thumped his forehead on his raised knees. "Not helping," he grumbled, lowering his legs again when the position became a tad too uncomfortable with his rounded belly.

"What do you want me to say?" Gaara sighed, rolling his shoulders. "You already realise this is a bad idea; you don't need me to tell you that."

Despondently, Naruto started twisting the strings of his sweatpants around each other. "You're taking this rather well," he muttered; his voice almost too low to be heard.

He had expected Gaara to either start preaching or looking at him disgusted before leaving. Instead his friend appeared rather resigned as if he had expected something like this to happen and therefore he wasn't surprised now.

That didn't exactly make Naruto feel better.

"Even if I reacted badly – can you look me in the eye and tell me you would give him up?" Gaara asked softly; his voice too knowing, his gaze too understanding.

Blue eyes looked down in shame. "No," the blond man admitted lowly. He knew he should give up Sasuke; there was no way this could end well, not with his best friend still married, not with the whole mess the baby had thrown them in.

Not with him being friends with Sakura. Could he still call her his friend when he was messing around with her husband? God, he didn't deserve her friendship.

"That's what I thought," Gaara murmured and then his hand slipped through blond strands and started scratching Naruto's scalp soothingly. "Be honest: do you trust Uchiha to tell Haruno the truth and leave her?"

"I …" Naruto closed his mouth and thought about the question carefully. He trusted Sasuke wholeheartedly, no question about that. Did he trust him to keep his word and leave Sakura? Setting aside for a moment the issue that he shouldn't wish for Sasuke to leave his wife, he decided that yes, he did trust the dark haired man to do that. Sasuke had never gone back on his word; once he promised something, he did everything in his power to fulfil that promise.

If Sasuke said he would handle it, he would handle it.

"Yeah, I trust him," he admitted after a pause and tilted his head back a bit, enjoying the soothing scratching across his scalp despite the sombre mood. "But I shouldn't want that, right?" He gnawed on his lower lip, feeling heavily conflicted.

"Shouldn't …" Gaara trailed off and gazed contemplatively at the wall across. "I'm perhaps not the best person to ask that. Frankly I don't really care about Haruno. It was a marriage of convenience, right?"

"Yeah, that's what Sasuke told me," Naruto replied, rubbing his hand absentmindedly over his belly. The baby was fussing around quite a bit now and he hoped the soothing motion would calm him down before he would need to use the toilet – again.

"But that isn't – I don't think Sakura-chan considers it to be like that," he continued haltingly, licking his lips briefly. "She – she's really happy with him. I can't - "

"I'm not an expert in marriages, far from it, but shouldn't both parties be happy in it?" Gaara cut him off dryly.

Cerulean blue eyes stared at him confused. "What?" Naruto asked befuddled.

"Uchiha only married her because she was his best option at the time. I still consider that to be an inane choice, but we both know that family has a few screws loose."

Ignoring the jab aimed at his best friend for the moment, Naruto protested, "That still doesn't mean - "

"If he really was happy with her, he wouldn't have fallen for you," Gaara continued serenely, acting as if the blond hadn't interrupted him.

While his heart skipped a beat at that declaration, Naruto still had trouble – even now – believing that this was all really happening. His automatic reaction was to deny. "Maybe he's just – I don't know, confused because of the baby. Maybe he mixes gratitude with this." He waved weakly at his stomach in which the baby firmly kicked, causing him to wince slightly.

"Are you trying to look for excuses? Or do you really not know him that well?"

It seemed that today he was destined to become confused several times. "What?" Naruto questioned blankly, having completely lost Gaara's reasoning.

"I don't know him as well as you do, but do you really think he doesn't know himself well enough to realise what he's feeling for you? He doesn't look like someone who would confuse falling in love," Naruto uttered a choked noise, "with feeling gratitude," Gaara finished firmly; his fingers lax against Naruto's scalp.

"I just don't want to hurt Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered, twisting the string of his sweatpants around his index finger. Guilt simmered lowly in his stomach as he conceded that it was already too late for that. Sakura would be hurt, no matter what, once the truth came out. Even if nothing happened between Sasuke and him – and it was too late for that already – once Sasuke told her he wanted to leave her, she would be the one dealing with the pain.

Was he really planning on hurting one of his oldest friends, because he couldn't stop being selfish?

A soft sigh left the man next to him. "I know you don't, but that is kind of inevitable at this point," he observed, tugging softly at blond strands when Naruto winced.

"Maybe I should just call Sasuke to end this before it can get worse," Naruto muttered forlornly and his heart squeezed in pain. He really didn't want to end things between them, not now, not after so many years of longing for it and finally having it, but he didn't want to hurt Sakura either.

"Why?"

Gaara's simple question made Naruto stare at him bemused. "Why? Because I can't hurt Sakura-chan like that!"

"What about you?" Gaara countered to his shock, regarding him solemnly. "Breaking things off with him – that would hurt you, no?"

"That doesn't matter, Gaara!" Naruto replied, rubbing a hand briskly across his stinging eyes. God, he hoped he wouldn't start crying now. "She – he chose her first, he married her and I can't come between them like that. It would be beyond selfish and - "

"If you don't care about your own happiness, what about Uchiha's then? _He_ came to _you_. _He_ confessed to _you_. He set this in motion, not you. If you break up with him – don't you think he'll be hurt?" Gaara raised an eyebrow, dropping his hand on the bed between them.

The pregnant man could only gape at him speechlessly; his mind completely blank. He hadn't … He hadn't thought about it like that. He had just assumed …

That it would hurt him more to end things between them than it would hurt Sasuke.

"I … didn't think of it like that," he admitted in a low voice after a pause.

The red haired man nodded. "I figured as much. It's okay to be selfish once in a while, you know. You deserve to be happy too. The happiness of two people doesn't really compare to that of one."

Naruto side-eyed him wearily. "Shouldn't you be discouraging me from continuing this?" he questioned tiredly, dropping his hands around his stomach to cup it.

Silence reigned for a while, only broken by the muted noise of the television downstairs. Then a hand slipped through his hair again and pushed his head carefully down on Gaara's shoulder. He went with it willingly, feeling soft pushes aimed at his fingers from within.

"I should, yes," Gaara agreed calmly. "I don't want you to get hurt, but if Uchiha can make you happy … Then I don't want you to give that up. You've been selfless for so long – you're allowed to be selfish for once."

If only it was that simple.

* * *

"Bad night?" Deidara inquired curiously when Naruto practically flopped down in the chair across from him the next morning. "You don't look so well, un."

Naruto grunted, resting his head in his hands. "Is that your way of saying I look like crap?" he muttered, but couldn't work up the energy to be offended about that.

He had been tossing and turning almost the entire night, only having fallen asleep a few hours ago. He had spent hours brooding, trying to figure out just what the hell he was going to do now.

On the one hand, he didn't want to hurt Sakura, but on the other hand he couldn't let go of Sasuke either. He didn't _want_ to let go. A part of him, larger than he wanted to admit, wanted to be selfish and be happy with Sasuke after years of fearing it would never happen. Did that make him a bad person? Most likely. That realisation, however, was not enough to convince him to end this thing between him and Sasuke.

His mind had kept running in circles, torn between not wanting to hurt Sakura and wanting to be happy, and in the end his sleep had been restless. It had been with great reluctance that he had got up just now, but the call of nature had been rather hard to ignore – even if he had wanted to, the baby had made sure to let him know he was awake by kicking him right into his bladder.

Naruto was pretty sure the little brat got that nasty streak from his other father.

"You've looked better," Itachi conceded calmly, his eyes trained on the newspaper as he sipped from his coffee.

"Thanks," Naruto grunted, accepting his mug with Earl Grey tea from the older blond.

Deidara sank back down on his chair with a groan, rubbing his back with a grimace. "The baby keeping you up, un?" he questioned sympathetically, leaning back in his chair to give his belly some room. At eight months old he looked nearly ready to pop and he had reduced the hours he worked to around seven a week.

Without even looking up from the newspaper, Itachi reached around and started rubbing Deidara's back, making his fiancé moan in relief.

"Something like that," Naruto muttered, pulling the cereal box towards him.

"I'd say it gets better, but it'll only get worse," Deidara informed him solemnly, though his right hand was caressing his stomach lovingly.

"Thanks for the reassurance," Naruto retorted dryly, tilting the box towards the bowl Itachi had placed in front of him. A quick dash of milk later and his breakfast was ready.

"Are you cutting down on your hours soon?" Itachi asked; black eyes coming to rest on the younger man.

"Eh." Naruto stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights of a car, thrown off kilter by the unexpected question.

"Deidara started cutting down on his hours once he entered the seventh month and you're getting close to it," Itachi remarked; his gaze remained fixated on Naruto while he continued giving Deidara a back massage.

"Yeah, but I'm only teaching," Naruto pointed out blankly, twirling his spoon in his bowl of cereals. "It's not that exhausting. Besides, Jiraiya is still looking for a replacement."

The dark haired man furrowed his eyebrows. "How long does it take to find a replacement?" he asked bemused.

Blue eyes rolled. "It shouldn't take that long, but I have to make sure he hires someone based on their educational qualifications and not their physical ones."

Deidara snorted; his cobalt blue eyes dancing with mirth. "He's got his priorities, huh?"

"You could say that," Naruto grimaced, rubbing a hand over his belly when the baby kicked.

"Teaching can be very stressful too," Itachi continued relentlessly, ignoring Deidara who chortled amused.

"But I'm feeling fine! The baby's feeling fine too!" Naruto exclaimed exasperatedly, throwing his hands in the air. "Trust me, he's been using my organs as his own personal punching ball for a while now."

"What about the paint fumes? You're still painting and not only when you're teaching, right?" Itachi narrowed his eyes, clearly not ready to give up yet.

"How do you deal with this?" Naruto complained, scowling dismayed at the older blond.

Deidara smiled mischievously, patting Itachi's arm almost patronisingly. "Mostly by tuning him out," he confided into Naruto in a mock whisper. He serenely ignored the scowl his lover gave him at that response and continued thoughtfully, "Well, that and he gives very good massages. That's worth putting up with the nagging, un." He winked, grinning when Itachi huffed annoyed.

"I apologise for worrying about the health of my son, my nephew and you two," he snarked, closing the newspaper.

"Yeah, yeah, protective papa and uncle, we get it, un," Deidara said soothingly, but his smirk betrayed his real thoughts. "If Naruto-kun says he's feeling fine, he's feeling fine. He still has a while before he has to take up his leave, un."

"See! Listen to your fiancé – he's smart!" Naruto pointed at Deidara and couldn't resist sticking out his tongue at Itachi. Being older didn't necessarily mean he had matured completely.

Itachi shook his head and stood up. "You're both stubborn idiots," he informed them with a sigh, ignoring Deidara's noise of disappointment when he pulled his hand back. "I'm going to take a shower. Deidara, you're still up for going to the store?"

"Of course! We need to get that particular colour before it's sold out, un," Deidara replied and sipped from what had to be cold tea by now.

As soon as Itachi had left the kitchen, Naruto wrinkled his nose. "He's not going to whine about me reducing my work hours every week, is he?"

Deidara chuckled, brushing a strand of his hair behind his ear. "He just might. Wait until Sasuke-kun starts, un."

Naruto groaned, but something in him fluttered at the thought of Sasuke fussing over him like that.

_He was so weak._

* * *

He looked through his lesson plans, trying to figure out whether he needed to add more notes for his future temporary replacement. Deidara and Itachi had left to the store to pick up some paint for the nursery they were close to finishing up. Hearing them discussing paint colours – more like Deidara ranting about certain colours while Itachi hummed agreeably – had made something twist in Naruto's chest and he had practically fled upstairs as soon as the front door fell shut behind them. He was trying to distract himself from the mess his life was slowly but surely turning into by concentrating on his lesson plans, but it wasn't really working.

His mind kept drifting towards the nursery next to Deidara's and Itachi's bedroom. It was quite beautiful already with a soft green carpet; a changing table; a small closet with several baby clothes already put inside and a dark wooden crib, containing a snow white stuffed bear, wearing a bright red bow around its neck. The walls were a plain white, but Naruto had heard Deidara discussing painting the walls in some kind of blue with one wall depicting a forest scene.

Deidara had shown him the nursery a couple of weeks before, brimming with pride, and while at first Naruto had just considered it to be a beautiful room, now the sight of it made him uneasy. All he could think of now was whether or not Sasuke was putting together a nursery with Sakura.

How long would he still remain with her? Would he leave her before the baby was born? Or afterwards? If that was the case, what would happen to the baby then? Would he need to hand over the baby still? His hands drifted down to cup his belly; a nudge was aimed at his left thumb to which he pressed back lightly.

His conversation with Deidara and Itachi during breakfast had succeeded in taking his mind off his problems for a while, but there was no escape from his intrusive thoughts now. What were they going to do about the baby? Once Sasuke left Sakura – would she still demand the baby to be hers? If so, what were they going to do then? What was _Naruto_ going to do?

Could he …

"Holy shit!" he breathed out startled when his phone suddenly started blaring his ringtone loudly. His hands scrambled over the desk, pushing papers aside in search of his elusive phone, which kept ringing loudly. He was so sure he had placed it –

Ah, there!

Triumphantly he snatched his vibrating phone from underneath a bunch of report cards – and why on earth had he put that there? – and accepted the call hastily without checking the name blinking on the screen.

"Yeah?"

"Naruto!" greeted Sakura's cheery voice and he froze, feeling uncomfortably warm all of a sudden.

He hadn't spoken or seen her since he had kissed with Sasuke in their kitchen and he didn't know what to say now. She didn't know yet about what was happening between him and Sasuke. If she did, she wouldn't have greeted him so happily now and that only made the guilt stab him harder.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," he returned the greeting, forcing himself to sound normal. "What's up?"

"I actually don't have that much time to talk," she replied sheepishly and in the background there was the noise of her heels clacking against the floor. "I need to leave in a moment to start my next shift, but I called you to let you know I made a new appointment with Tsunade-sensei."

"Oh, eh, I didn't know I needed another one so soon. Baa-chan didn't say anything about it," Naruto remarked confused, trying to recall whether the doctor had mentioned something about a new appointment during their last check-up. He didn't think she had.

"Oh no, normally you would have the next one when you're eight months pregnant, but I just wanted to make sure that everything is progressing as it should," she answered lightly. "So the appointment is on the eight of June at one thirty. You don't have any classes then, right?"

"Eh no, not unless the schedule changes," he said, a bit surprised that the pink haired woman had just made an appointment without consulting him about it.

"Great!" she said brightly and giggled. "I can't wait for the next appointment! At seven months the images will be much clearer and I can't wait to see my son on the screen again!"

"He's not you-!" he cut himself off abruptly, staring wide eyed at the desk.

_What was he about to say?_ Had he really just –

"Naruto? What were you going to say?" she asked confused.

"That's not – sorry, just a mistake I noticed in one of the essays," he laughed awkwardly and swallowed down the bile burning his throat. "The student apparently didn't really listen well to my lectures."

"I know someone else who thought the teachers' lectures were useless," she retorted teasingly and chuckled. "Make sure to rest on time, okay? Don't want you to overwork yourself; stress isn't good for the baby! I'll take to you later, bye!"

_Click._

The sound of the call being ended echoed through his ears and slowly he lowered his phone, staring at it blankly. It laid so innocently in his hand. As if nothing life altering had happened whilst using it.

_He's not your son!_

_That_ was what had been about to slip out of his mouth before he had stopped himself on time. Where had that come from? Since when –

Since when had he started thinking about the baby inside of him as his? Since when had he started despising the idea of Sakura taking care of his baby? At what moment had the thought of handing over his baby become terrifying? Caused nausea to fill him to the brim and his heart clenching with pain as he tried to imagine giving up his baby after the birth?

_Oh god, his baby._

_Oh no, no, no, no,_ _**no** _ _!_

He shot up and left his room, down the stairs, and out of the house, no longer able to stand the pressing silence and his racing thoughts.

He needed to leave, get away, go …

* * *

Sleepy, emerald green blinked and gazed at him bemused. Then they sharpened as the owner of them realised who – and more importantly in what kind of state - was standing in front of his apartment door. "Naruto, what are you - "

"I can't give up my baby!" Naruto choked out; tears leaving a fiery trail behind on his cheeks. His arms protectively wrapped around his belly, looking like he wouldn't let go, no matter what.

He was so fucking screwed and he didn't know what to do.

All he knew, the only truth he was certain about, was that he _couldn't give up his baby_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I hope I didn't screw up the last scene. I mostly wanted to convey the shock in this one, while the next one will go deeper into Naruto's thoughts about it. At least that's what I wanted to portray in this chapter ^^;
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me. ALSO: don't forget to place your vote for the breastfeeding part!
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the 29th of December! See you all then!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Well, this chapter turned out quite a bit longer than I intended to, but I figured you'd prefer no cliffhanger this time LOL Consider the absence of a cliffhanger as my holiday gift for you guys :P
> 
> More serious now: I hope I didn't screw up too badly near the end of the chapter; I had to finish this chapter today, because I've had some slight issues, and so I hope the scene isn't as screwed up as I fear it is ...
> 
> Thank you so much for the comments and the kudos! I can't believe we're almost at 600 kudos already! O_O
> 
> Warnings: Naruto's insecurities; smidgen of angst; start of a panic attack
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 21_

There was a hand stroking his hair gently when he resurfaced from the darkness. He blinked, confused for a moment as to where he was, and he started tensing up, his arm slipping around his belly, until his eyes fell on familiar dark red pyjama trousers and he relaxed again.

"You back again?" Gaara's chest vibrated against his ear and Naruto flushed when he realised that he had fallen asleep practically snuggled against his friend, with his head on his chest.

God, how long had he been out? His eyes felt heavy, gritty, and he rubbed slowly over them as he sat up. Gaara's hand slid out of his hair and landed in his neck, resting there.

"Sorry," Naruto muttered, voice raw and he cleared his throat. "How long was I out?"

Gaara stood up and disappeared into the kitchen silently. There was the sound of a glass being put down on the counter, followed by that of a bottle being uncapped. The red haired man appeared swiftly near the couch again, holding out a glass with water to the blond.

"Thanks," Naruto smiled weakly, holding the glass with two hands to drink from it. He still felt rather shaky and he'd rather not spill everything on himself and the couch.

Gaara took the empty glass from him before he could even lean over to put it on the table. The glass was discarded there and his friend sank back down on the couch, supporting his head with his hand, as he leant his elbow against the back of the couch.

"You were out for two hours," he eventually replied, pulling up his left leg and bending it to put his foot on the couch.

The circles around his eyes were more pronounced than usual and guilt hit Naruto like a sledgehammer when he understood that he had interrupted Gaara right before the man could get some decent sleep. God, he sucked as a friend.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled ashamed, staring down at the way his fingers were fiddling with a loose thread of his blue shirt. "I didn't mean to keep you from your sleep."

Gaara shrugged unconcerned. "I'm tired enough that I can crash later," he said calmly. "You're more important than sleep; you know that."

"Doesn't make this any less embarrassing," Naruto muttered, rubbing both hands over his face.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like crap," Naruto said bluntly, looking at his friend tiredly. He grimaced and added bitterly, "And like such a big idiot. You can say it, you know. That you told me so."

"I won't, Naruto," Gaara said quietly. "You can't help how you feel."

"Yeah, but you and everyone else warned me about this. I was just too stupid to take your warnings seriously," the blond retorted thickly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I – I just don't know what to do now, Gaara. I just don't know."

He had fled the house after his call with Sakura – after the call in which he realised that he wasn't ready to give up his baby after all. It was a horrible realisation, because he had sworn from the start that he wouldn't become attached to the little being growing inside of him. Somehow, somewhere along the way, however, something in him had shifted and he had started to think of the baby as _his_. Hearing Sakura call the baby 'her son' had … made him incredibly angry, feeling as if she was trespassing, taking from him what didn't belong to her.

If he had thought things had become complicated with him and Sasuke sneaking around, then situation now had become ten times more fucked up. What the hell was he going to do now?

"I'm scared, Gaara," he admitted in a whisper, wrapping his arms around his bulging stomach. His son – he gave up on trying to distance himself from him, because clearly that ship had sailed long ago – fussed around gently inside his belly, pushing with his little fists.

A pale hand entered his vision and fingers – stained with blue ink – wrapped around his. "I can't really help you with this, Naruto. You need to figure out what you want to do now. My advice, though? Talk with Uchiha. Clear the air between the two of you and get some real answers. Because now it's no longer just about the two of you, but the three of you," Gaara murmured; his green eyes soft.

"I know," Naruto sighed, thumping his head against the back of the couch. He worried his lower lip between his teeth and haltingly went on, "It's just … What if I fuck up as a dad? I've never had any parents; sure, I have Iruka-sensei and the pervert, but that's not the same. God, what the hell am I thinking, wanting to raise this baby?" Panic hooked its claws in him, squeezing his lungs tightly together and he started breathing quicker, shallower; dark spots appearing at the edge of his vision as he stared unseeingly at the table in front of him.

Why had he thought he could do this? Of course he couldn't do this! What did he know about raising children anyway? He had grown up without a family and Iruka's presence later on in his life couldn't erase that glaring absence of parental love when he was still just a kid. There were so many ways he could fuck up as a father – he couldn't do that to his baby, couldn't fuck up his life. That wouldn't be fair to him. Maybe he should just give up the baby and Sasuke all together? Then their baby would have a chance at a decent life, which he wouldn't have with …

Hands were suddenly gripping his cheeks firmly and he reared back in shock when deep green eyes filled his vision.

"Naruto, breathe," Gaara barked; a heavy frown cleaving his forehead in two. His hands remained cupping Naruto's cheeks as he instructed him to breathe in deeply, hold it for four seconds, and then release it again slowly; doing the breathing exercises himself to give Naruto something to focus on.

Once the red haired man was certain his friend was no longer on the verge of having a panic attack, he slowly lowered his hands and leant back against the couch. "Better?" he inquired; his eyes glinting with concern.

"A bit," Naruto muttered, tugging at his hair before dropping his hand on top of his belly. It seemed like today was one in which he humiliated himself in all kinds of ways.

"Listen to me, Naruto," Gaara said and his solemn voice made Naruto look up at him. "You're going to be an amazing dad."

Naruto started shaking his head, but Gaara continued stubbornly, "No, really. Any kid would be lucky to have you as their dad. That little boy here," he put his hand on the right side of Naruto's belly and was rewarded with a soft kick, "is going to be the happiest boy in the world, no doubt about that. Because you love him and that's all that matters."

"Thanks," Naruto said in a small voice, hastily wiping away some hot tears clinging to his lower eyelashes. Would his love really be enough? There were so many ways in which he could fuck up …

"Hey, it's going to be fine," Gaara murmured and his hand slipped around Naruto's again, squeezing it reassuringly. "You still have me, Uchiha, and your other friends to help you. You're not alone in this."

Naruto smiled weakly, but felt strengthened by Gaara's unwavering trust and his fingers tightened around Gaara's in response. Maybe he wouldn't fuck up too badly after all. At least he would have his friends to count on.

* * *

The week that followed after his enlightening call with Sakura had him trying to figure out just how he was going to tell Sasuke he wanted to keep their baby. Since they started their thing together, they hadn't discussed the baby like that and Naruto wondered whether it had been implied that they would raise the baby together. He couldn't bank on implications, though; he would need to really discuss this with Sasuke, get everything in the open, but the prospect of that particular discussion had him jittery with nerves.

He didn't think Sasuke would react badly – after all, he was the one who had wanted this baby in the first place, but would he want to raise the baby with Naruto? What if he thought that Naruto was good enough as his lover, but not as the actual parent to his child?

That particular thought had him hiding in his classroom for more than an hour on Tuesday, trying to calm himself down before he started panicking again.

Sasuke texted him a couple of times throughout the week, asking if he could meet up. Naruto declined every time, claiming he had too many meetings. While that wasn't a lie – Jiraiya had him meet with a couple of potential replacements for him to give his opinion – it was also an excuse. He was still trying to figure out how exactly he would inform Sasuke of his decision and he didn't want to do that rushed during one of their lunch breaks. Depending on Sasuke's answer, he might be in need of a few hours alone and he wouldn't have that if he had to go back to his classroom after their meeting.

How had his life turned into such a mess?

* * *

"Any plans for this weekend?" Deidara asked him on Friday evening after they had just finished doing the dishes.

Naruto dried his hands off at the towel – it had been his turn to do the washing part – and cocked his head. "Hm, not really. I was thinking I could - "

Before he could finish his sentence, his phone started vibrating in his pocket and he fumbled a bit to retrieve it. With a start he realised Sasuke was calling him and he accepted the call before he could think twice about it. "Yeah?"

"Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?" Sasuke asked without preamble, forgoing the actual greeting.

Naruto blinked and leant back against the sink; slightly taken off guard by the unexpected question. "Eh, no, not really. Maybe doing a bit of reading, but nothing concrete," he replied and watched how Deidara put the last pan away, careful not to make any loud noises. The older blond straightened back up and jerked his thumb in the direction of the living room. Naruto nodded his understanding and Deidara smiled before leaving the kitchen, joining his fiancé in front of the television.

"Do you want to go to the cabin tomorrow with me?" Sasuke inquired and there was the background noise of typing.

 _Is he still at work?_ , Naruto wondered surprised, casting a quick glance at the clock of the microwave. Half past eight. Sasuke usually didn't stay that late at work on Friday. Then the request completely registered in his mind and his eyes widened. The cabin referred to the one near a small lake, which was a two hour drive from the town. It was private property of the Uchiha and Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura had spent many summers there, making long walks, tanning and swimming in the crystal clear water. Naruto had many fond memories of that place there, but it had been a couple of years since they last visited the cabin.

With the warm weather now, a quick dip in that cool lake sounded rather amazing actually …

"Yeah, sounds fun," Naruto smiled, cupping his stomach when the baby kicked. "When do you want to leave?"

"I'll pick you up at eight. We'll still have plenty of time then at the lake before we have to go back," Sasuke replied.

"Sounds good to me. Will, eh, will Sakura-chan be there too?" Naruto asked and winced, feeling rather awkward.

There was a pause and the dark haired man sounded slightly off when he replied, "No, she's not joining us. I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto."

"Ah yes, see you tomorrow," Naruto said, but before he could say anything, the other man hung up the phone.

The pregnant man lowered his phone and stared at it with a frown as he contemplated the weird tone in his friend's voice. Trouble at work?

Or at home?

"Who was it, un?" Deidara asked curiously when Naruto sat down next to him in the couch.

They were watching some kind of game show, Naruto noticed; the bright colours of the studio's décor almost hurting his eyes.

"Oh, it was Sasuke," Naruto answered, fiddling with his phone some more before he slipped it back into his pocket. "We're going to the cabin tomorrow."

"Haruno-san too?" Itachi inquired; his hand resting idly near his half empty wineglass.

"Eh no, she's apparently not coming with us," Naruto mumbled and kept his eyes trained on the television, where the team with the blue shirts was discussing an answer.

"Have fun," Itachi murmured, reclining back into the couch.

Naruto absolutely refused to contemplate what the odd tone in Itachi's voice was about. One Uchiha acting strange was more than enough for him.

* * *

"Ready to go?" Sasuke asked when Naruto closed the door behind him. The dark haired man was leaning against his car; his eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Despite the early hour the sun was already shining brightly, quickly warming up everything it touched with its rays.

Naruto was glad he had decided to wear one of his thinnest T-shirts – which coincidentally was an old one of Sasuke's he had confiscated a few years ago and which now just barely fit him with his belly, but whatever. At least he wouldn't get fried in this shirt.

He nodded and held up the cooler with a grin. "Got our food and everything," he announced and squawked when Sasuke crossed the distance between them to take the light green box from him.

"Let me carry that," Sasuke clucked his tongue, his other free hand brushing softly against Naruto's stomach.

"I can carry that too, you know," Naruto complained but followed his friend to his car. As Sasuke stashed the cooler in the boot, Naruto stepped into the car and was instantly greeted by a blast of cold air. He fiddled with the air-conditioning a bit, adjusting it so and so, until he was happy with how the cold air hit his neck and chest.

He looked up when the door of the driver's side opened, Sasuke slipping behind the wheel smoothly. Dark eyes met blue ones and a faint smile curled up the corners of Sasuke's mouth. "Hey," he murmured, before leaning towards the blond and pecking him on his lips.

"Hey," Naruto returned; his voice slightly higher than intended.

"How are you two doing?" Another peck, this time lingering a bit longer, and then Sasuke pulled back, starting the car.

"We're fine," Naruto smiled; his hands cupping his belly automatically now. The baby was calm for now, only slightly fussing around, and Naruto hoped he would avoid kicking his bladder until they were at the cabin.

They had been driving for nearly half an hour, mostly discussing the candidates for Naruto's position as teacher, when Naruto tentatively asked, "So, eh, not that I'm complaining, but – is there a reason why it's only the two of us?"

To be honest Naruto wasn't that disappointed that Sakura wasn't joining them. It was ugly of him, especially given what he was doing with her husband, but he could just imagine the awkwardness that would hang between them for the entire trip and he was relieved he wouldn't have to deal with that today. He knew he – they – couldn't keep delaying talking to Sakura about it, but for now he just …

He just wanted to pretend everything was fine and enjoy his trip with Sasuke.

Hands tightened around the steering wheel and the pregnant man winced, opening his mouth to apologise, when Sasuke replied flatly, "She's visiting her parents for the entire day. She might spend the night there, but she wasn't sure about it."

"Oh." Naruto blinked surprised. Sakura's parents lived quite far away; they had moved to another city a couple of years ago and if they wanted to visit each other, they had a three hour drive to shoulder through – if traffic wasn't horrible at least. It was why Sakura's visits with them was usually kept to once every few months, both because of the long distance and her hectic work schedule. She did call them often to breach the distance somewhat, though.

Sakura visiting her parents wasn't that out of the ordinary – especially given how long ago her last visit had been – but what was remarkable now was the fact that she had gone _alone_. Ever since they got married, Sakura had insisted that Sasuke join her when she visited her parents; that she had gone alone now was quite strange.

Then there was that odd infliction in Sasuke's voice when he had answered. An outsider wouldn't have taken notice of it, but Naruto knew Sasuke long enough to have deciphered all the little inflictions and minuscule facial movements of the older man, which let the blond know exactly what his friend was really feeling at that moment.

"Is – did something happen? Between the two of you?" Naruto asked haltingly, not sure whether he wanted to know the answer.

Sasuke didn't answer for a long time. They passed several streets, two crossroads and waited before two red lights before leaving the town behind them, joining others on the highway. Naruto gave up waiting for an answer – perhaps that question hadn't been really an appropriate one to ask, he thought with a wince – and tried to decide on another subject, a safer topic they could talk about without stumbling over dangerous hurdles in the form of almost ex-wives.

Before he could find a safe conversation topic, though, Sasuke replied, grimacing, "I've been hinting for a while now that we should talk about our marriage contract, but she either doesn't understand my hints or refuses to. I told her on Thursday that we should discuss the contract again this weekend, but she didn't say anything about it. I figured she was okay with it, but yesterday she called me during lunch to tell me that she's visiting her parents this weekend."

Naruto gnawed on his lower lip, rubbing over his bare right arm. "Do you – think she's avoiding talking about it or is her trip just a coincidence?"

"Considering I told her I wanted to discuss the contract, I doubt it's a coincidence," Sasuke said, glowering. "She's being stubborn now, but she can't get away with avoiding this forever."

"Do you think she knows you want to break off the marriage?" Naruto questioned and couldn't help but hold his breath; his heartbeat quickening, feeling inexplicably nervous.

"I don't know. Maybe she has a feeling," Sasuke sighed, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. "Maybe she really is that oblivious after all. Doesn't matter. She can't avoid me forever."

Against his will, relief filled him at Sasuke's words. A small part of him – the dark part which stored all his insecurities – had still feared that Sasuke hadn't been serious about them after all. That he would grow bored of Naruto eventually and decide that his marriage was better than being with him.

He wasn't proud of that part, but he couldn't really help having it either. Hearing Sasuke confirm he was working on the break-up, though, settled his nerves somewhat.

"Enough about that," Sasuke said abruptly and before Naruto could react, pale, slender fingers curled around his own, linking their hands together. They rested against his belly on his thigh. "Itachi told me you still haven't decided when to take up your pregnancy leave. You're not going to wait until the last minute, right?" Dark eyes narrowed slightly, throwing him a warning look before they focused back on the lane in front of them.

"It's not like teaching is that exhausting or dangerous," Naruto scoffed, rolling his eyes; preparing himself for yet another argument about it. Really, were all Uchiha like that?

Although the banter was kept light for the remainder of the trip, the issue about the baby lingered in the back of his mind, casting a shadow over what should be an enjoyable day out.

He wouldn't talk about it now, though. Not yet, not when they were still in the car. At the cabin, he decided, curling his fingers tighter around Sasuke's.

* * *

The water, colder than the warm air by several degrees, lapped gently at his legs. Ripples disturbed the smooth surface when he slowly moved his legs back and forth. It was just after lunch and the sun was burning brightly right above the lake, causing the water to glitter and sparkle.

Naruto was sitting on the small, wooden dock, enjoying the cool shade the tall trees provided. He was dressed in only a pair of bright orange swimming trunks, which had white swirls dotting the leg portion of the cloth. The swimming trunks were used more as a way to cool down than to actual swim; he didn't trust himself to keep upright in the water and not accidentally topple over like a freaking turtle.

Soft footsteps padded towards him, treading quietly on the wet wooden planks. A smile bloomed across Naruto's lips before he could stop it when a warm body sat down directly behind him. Strong legs caged in his own, feet dipping into the water, brushing against Naruto's, as arms linked around his stomach; thumbs rubbing soothing circles across his skin. There were faint stretchmarks crisscrossing his lower stomach like a spider's web and he did his best not to feel self-conscious when hands caressed that particular part of his belly.

"You've been rather quiet," Sasuke remarked; curiosity an undertone in his voice.

Naruto scoffed. "I'm not allowed to be quiet?" he questioned offended.

"Not this quiet," the older man insisted. "This quiet means you're brooding about something. So what's on your mind?"

Naruto shut his mouth with a 'click'. Right, he sometimes forgot that Sasuke could read him just as well as he could read the dark haired man. Well, he wouldn't get a better opening than this, right? He just had to go for it, get everything in the open now, before he got in too deep.

But when he licked his lips and opened his mouth, his courage abruptly left him, nerves taking over and he blurted out, "It's Iruka-sensei's birthday next week; you want to celebrate it with us?"

He felt Sasuke startle before the man pressed his bare chest closer against Naruto's back. He answered slowly, "Sure. Like I do every year."

"That's good," Naruto nodded; twisting the white strings of his swimming trunks around his fingers.

The man behind him heaved a sigh. "But that's not what's bothering you."

"Nothing's bothering me!"

"Uhuh, and my brother is not head over heels for Deidara," Sasuke retorted unimpressed. "Come on, fess up before you hurt your brain too much."

"Bastard," the blond muttered petulantly, slapping Sasuke's arm for good measure.

Lips kissed the junction between his neck and right shoulder and Naruto's breath hitched. "Naruto, tell me what's wrong," Sasuke said softly; black strands tickling Naruto's shoulder when Sasuke rested his head in Naruto's neck.

Naruto had always been weak against that particular tone and he slumped against Sasuke, feeling his arms tightening carefully around his belly. It would be stupid to keep denying it and it was beyond time they discussed this. He could only pray that Sasuke wouldn't react too badly.

"I, eh, I got a call from Sakura-chan last week," he started, pursing his lips.

Sasuke stiffened behind him slightly. "Anything in particular she wanted?" he asked; his voice disturbingly flat.

The blond man shook his head, rubbing his thumb over Sasuke's right wrist slowly. "No, just that she had made an appointment with baa-chan next month."

"Yeah, I know. She called me about that too, not even asking whether I didn't have any appointments already," Sasuke grunting, slightly annoyed.

"Do you have an appointment then?"

"Nearly scheduled one, yes, a meeting with the board, but I could push that one back until a couple of hours later," Sasuke sighed. "Still would have appreciated her asking me first whether I was available or not."

Naruto hummed his agreement; he had been just as annoyed with the pink haired woman. He was looking forward to seeing his baby on the screen again, but it didn't feel right that she had just made the decision for him instead of consulting him first.

 _Then again_ , a dark, poisonous voice in the back of his mind piped up, _why would she consult you first when you're supposed to just carry the baby? As far as she's concerned, you're just the vessel for the baby she considers hers._

 _She doesn't consider me as just a vessel_ , he argued back, but he couldn't help but remember how she had called his son 'hers' and how her concern about his work had been more for the baby's sake than his.

But wasn't that normal for someone in her position?

"Naruto? That's not really what's bothering you, right?" Sasuke broke through his thoughts, sounding pensively.

"No, no, it isn't," he admitted lowly. Guilt and shame simmered lowly in his stomach when he confessed, "She called the baby her son and I - "

Some birds chittered loudly in one of the trees nearby, rustling the leaves violently. Some green leaves broke off and danced leisurely downwards, floating above the water before landing gracefully on it, sending tiny ripples throughout the clear water.

His voice seemed to echo over the lake when he said, "I almost corrected her. I almost told her she didn't have the right to call my son hers." His voice became choked at the end; a lump forming in his throat, blocking it.

"Naruto?"

Taking a deep breath – not that it helped much with the lump in his throat – Naruto twisted around, forcing himself to face Sasuke. When he dared to look up, he stared right into astonished, dark eyes. "I know I said I would give up the baby as soon as he's born, but Sasuke – I can't. I – I can't give up my baby. I'm – I'm sorry, but I just c-can't. I want to keep him and I know that's not what you were planning for when you started this, but," Naruto babbled; his vision becoming blurry all of a sudden.

Why was he suddenly having trouble seeing Sasuke clearly? It wasn't raining, so why …

 _Oh_ , he realised numbly when something hot slid down his cheek, plopping on his chest, _I'm crying._

Hands left his belly and for one heart stopping moment Naruto was afraid Sasuke would leave him, but before he could clamp his own hands down around Sasuke's wrists, hands cupped his cheeks, lifting his head up so dark eyes could meet watery blue ones, and when had he started looking down?

"You idiot, of course we're going to raise our baby together," Sasuke sighed; his thumbs caressing Naruto's tears away carefully.

"What?" Naruto could only gape at him dumbly.

"I mean, I wasn't sure what you wanted and if you hadn't wanted to keep the baby after all, we would have had to find another solution, but I'm glad you want to keep the baby," the dark haired man said pensively. "I figured the whole keeping the baby thing had been implied already when I asked you out."

"You mean it?" Naruto asked astonished; hands shooting up to grab Sasuke's arms tightly.

The other man cocked his head. "Of course I mean it. Were you afraid that I wouldn't want to raise our son with you?"

How Sasuke could pinpoint his worries and fears so exactly was something he probably would never manage to figure out. "I just – I know I'm not the most ideal person to raise children with," he started in a small voice and gasped when lips suddenly pressed harshly against his, cutting off the rest of his self-deprecating answer. Before he could return the heated kiss, however, the older man had already pulled back to glare at him.

"Stop being so stupid!" Sasuke demanded; his hands slipping down to clamp around the blond's shoulders. "If one of us is going to nail this whole parenting thing perfectly, it's going to be you, okay? You're practically cut out to be a father!"

"But I don't know how to do the whole parenting thing, I grew up without parents, and, and it's not like I'm making that much money," Naruto blurted out, but hope was already blooming in his chest.

Sasuke scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "You think I had such a wonderful example?" His lips curled up in a sneer before his features softened again. "Money isn't everything, Naruto. Love is more important than that and I know our son isn't going to be deprived of that. Not from me, not from you. Our son is going to grow up, knowing how much we love him."

The blond's cheeks coloured a fierce red; the heat they exuded rivalling that of the sun it seemed, but …

_He was happy._

"Thank you, Sasuke," he smiled watery, wiping away the last stray tears, feeling slightly ridiculous for crying about this. God, he hated these pregnancy hormones for fucking up his moods.

"What are you thanking me for, idiot?" Sasuke sighed, shaking his head, but he was smiling faintly. Running fingers through blond locks, he brought their mouths together for a soft, tender kiss. "Everything is going to be fine, I promise. You, me, our baby – we're going to be a family together. I'll make sure of that."

Cerulean blue eyes locked onto piercing dark ones and Naruto believed him. They were going to be fine; they were going to be a _family_ , no matter how unconventional they had started out.

Naruto closed his eyes and rested his head against Sasuke's shoulder, feeling arms slip around his back. The sun was shining brightly and a breeze made the leaves sing while _their_ baby tumbled and fussed around in his stomach.

Everything would be all right. One way or the other, they would make everything right.

Today, though, today he was just going to enjoy the time he had with Sasuke at this lake, far away from the issues they had left behind in the town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: You don't want to know how many times I've rewritten this last scene *sweatdrops* I hope it didn't came across as too rushed or you know, bad *grimaces* I did my best, so I hope I didn't screw up too badly *winces*
> 
> Regarding the poll: the 'yes' choice has won with an overwhelmingly 34 against 6, so breastfeeding will occur in this story.
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me. The next chapter will be posted on the 12th of January!
> 
> I hope to see you all back in the next chapter and I wish you all a happy New Year's!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Sorry for the delay, guys, this chapter was giving me more trouble than I expected.
> 
> Thanks for the comments and the kudos! I can't believe we're already past 600 kudos for this story O_O
> 
> Warnings: lemon; some fluff; time skips
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> Thanks to Meehalla for helping me out with the gifts!
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 22_

"It's too bad that Sakura-san couldn't be here today," Iruka sighed, filling his glass with more iced tea.

"I asked, but she had a double shift," Naruto explained; the chair creaking softly as he settled into another position. He rubbed his back, silently cursing the way the wooden slats pressed uncomfortably against his spine.

As if summoned, Sasuke appeared next to him; his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "You need a pillow?"

Before the blond could respond, Sasuke continued decisively, "I'll go get one." He disappeared into Iruka's home as quickly as he had appeared next to Naruto just now.

"He's taking good care of you, huh?" Iruka chuckled; his brown eyes shining warmly. He pushed his plate with the remaining crumbs of his birthday cake to the side.

"He's fussy," Naruto grumbled, but a part of him was preening underneath Sasuke's attention. His hand drifted down to cup his belly, rubbing his thumb soothingly across the spot where the baby had just kicked him firmly. Their little boy was quite active since a few hours and Naruto figured he'd have to walk around for a bit if he wanted to lull his baby into sleep soon. He already had to get up three times in the past two hours to relieve his bladder because the tyke insisted on using it as a punching ball.

"Here." Sasuke guided Naruto forwards so that he could prop a dark blue, fluffy pillow behind his back and the chair. "Better?"

Naruto squirmed around a bit, as much as his rounded belly would allow him, and sighed in approval when he could lean back without feeling wood dig into his back. "Yeah, thanks."

Sasuke took his seat next to the blond again, accepting the glass Iruka refilled with the cold tea. The dark haired man had stepped away, deeper into the small garden their former sensei took care of, to accept a call. The eye roll and exasperation dripping off his face had clued Naruto in that the caller must have been someone from the office; most likely Suigetsu.

"How's work going, Sasuke-san?" Iruka inquired curiously.

"Can't really complain," the younger man answered and shrugged. "I've got a big project coming up, which should go smoothly unless Suigetsu fu- messes it up again."

As Iruka and Sasuke discussed the latter's work in more detail, Naruto's attention drifted towards the garden. The table they sat at was completely hidden in the shade of the house, for which Naruto was grateful. The pressing heat lingering in the air already had his skin itching and him plucking his shirt off his chest every once in a while. Being subjected to the full blast of the sun would probably drive him mad after a short while. He was lucky the white chocolate and strawberry cake he had prepared for Iruka's birthday hadn't melted on its short trips into and from the car to the house.

He had had two classes this morning, so he had to wait until the afternoon to celebrate Iruka's birthday with him. The older man didn't mind, having waved off his apologies, saying he was already more than happy that he had managed to find time.

As if Naruto would not celebrate his favourite teacher's birthday. Tch.

Sasuke had picked him up from his brother's house, seemingly determined to prevent Naruto from having to use public transport. Not that he had been looking forward to carrying the cake while being stuffed into a too hot bus together with others passengers like sardines in a can, but well … It felt strange to be brought everywhere with a car now instead of having to rely on busses or other public transport.

"… found a substitute, Naruto?"

Iruka's voice dragged him back into the conversation and he blinked, shaking his head with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Iruka-sensei, can you repeat that?"

"Have you found a substitute yet?" Iruka repeated patiently, absentmindedly batting a fly away from the empty plate.

"Oh yeah, we're down to two possible substitutes," Naruto replied, crossing his ankles underneath the chair. "Jiraiya's going to make the final decision next week."

"An idea yet when you'll take up your leave?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly, scowling lightly when the blond rolled his eyes.

"No idea yet; that's something I still need to discuss with Jiraiya," Naruto answered lightly, pressing his cold glass to his right and then to his left cheek, enjoying the sensation of shocking cold against his heated skin. "But it'll probably be a couple of weeks before my due date."

"Aer you sure you'll – "

"Did you figure out yet who the mysterious woman is Jiraiya-san is meeting up with?" Iruka inquired out of the blue, serenely cutting Sasuke off.

Throwing the older man a quick, grateful smile, Naruto said with a slight pout, "No, and he won't tell me either! It's been a couple of months already and he won't even give me as much as a hint!"

"Have you ever thought that perhaps nothing is going on and that's why you don't get any hints?" Sasuke snorted, supporting his head with his hand as he leant his elbow on the table.

Naruto doubted he had forgotten about the question he had wanted to ask, but Sasuke seemed content to follow this particular line of conversation for now. Jabbing his finger at the other man, Naruto puffed out his cheeks and huffed, "I know the old pervert, okay? Whoever this woman is, she's not just a regular acquaintance and I'm going to find out who she is eventually!"

"You're going to feel quite embarrassed if she does end up being just an acquaintance," Sasuke smirked.

As Naruto and Sasuke started bickering good-naturedly, their former teacher leant back in his chair, hiding a smile behind his dark blue glass.

Some things would never change, no matter how many years would pass.

* * *

Mikoto's birthday followed swiftly the week after Iruka's, but Naruto wasn't able to pop by to wish her a happy birthday. Not only had he been roped into a couple of teacher's meetings which he couldn't wiggle himself out of – that was what he got, he supposed, for skipping a couple of them earlier in the year – but Mikoto wouldn't be home either in the evening. By the time he would be able to leave these stupid meetings, she would already be on a plane together with Fugaku to celebrate her birthday several hundred miles elsewhere.

That didn't mean he hadn't bought a gift for her, though. He had managed to track down the only missing volume of a romance series she had been reading for the past three years. She had blushed the first time he had caught sight of one of the books peeking out of her handbag, waving it off as just a vague interest. A vague interest that led her to trying to collect all the volumes. She could finally stop the hunt, though, because Naruto had managed to get a hold on the one volume she had been fruitlessly searching for this past half year.

Sasuke, who would take some time off to visit his mother, would hand Naruto's present over to her. Naruto had pressed it into his hands right before Sasuke left the house a couple of days ago. The dark haired man had spent the whole Saturday afternoon at Itachi's house and Naruto was pretty sure that by the end of this year, both Uchiha brothers might not even need the two blonds as referees anymore. Sasuke was still a bit on his guard, but at least he wasn't glaring at his brother anymore and Itachi was making an effort as well. They were making progress. Slow, but steady progress.

His phone vibrating against his thigh had Naruto inconspicuously drawing the device out of his pocket, keeping it underneath the table to avoid catching the attention of Sasori, who was at the moment arguing at the front why he deserved more funds for his projects.

' _Mother's over the moon with your present. You've set the bar high, usuratonkachi.'_

He hid his grin behind his hand. _'Time to step up your game, bastard.'_

' _Oh you bet I will. You won't know what'll hit you.'_

For some reason Naruto got the feeling Sasuke was talking about something completely different than presents and his cheeks warmed.

"You okay, Naruto-san?" Mei inquired softly; her long auburn hair – this time completely done up in a tight knot – glinting in the sunlight which streamed through the gaps in the curtains. Her light green eyes studied him curiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he murmured, shooting her a quick, reassuring smile. "Just a bit hot."

She nodded in understanding. "Just two more hours," she sighed and turned her attention back to her notepad, the first page of it already filled with several notes. Most likely her own comments on the budget she had received for theatre.

He hesitated for a couple of seconds longer, but then typed back, _'Looking forward to it.'_ and then, determined to pay attention to the meeting, shoved his phone back into his pocket.

In the end he remained more aware of the phone digging into his thigh than what was actually being said, but whatever. It wasn't as if anything discussed would affect his teaching.

He thought at least. Damn that bastard for being so distracting even through a goddamn text.

* * *

His check-up was … awkward. There was no other way to describe it.

As Sakura was cooing at the screen, Tsunade smiling indulgingly, Naruto did his best not to show how affected he was by seeing his son move his arms up and down. He felt the little nudges inside his stomach and then the firmer kicks when Tsunade pressed the transducer firmer down on his belly; clearly the baby didn't appreciate that.

Tsunade declared the baby completely healthy and Sakura started babbling about the nursery, ticking off what they still needed to buy or do to prepare for the baby's arrival.

It made something in Naruto clench tightly, knowing he couldn't bring up the same enthusiasm, not as long as Sakura was still together with Sasuke. Even then it would be difficult, considering he and Sasuke weren't living together. Would they live together? How would they arrange everything once the baby was born? He could hardly build a nursery in Itachi's and Deidara's home after all; their house was still only a temporary solution. He wasn't meant to settle there for the rest of his life.

Mechanically he wiped off the clear gel from his belly with the paper towels Tsunade offered him, doing his best to tune out Sakura's excited chatter.

"And perhaps I should - " Sakura cut herself off when something buzzed in her bag and she rummaged through it with an annoyed cluck of her tongue. Her excitement made way for a frown as she read whatever she had just been sent through. "I have to go to the hospital now; apparently Mari-san fell sick and they're several nurses short."

She pursed her lips, stuffing her pager into her bag, before plastering a smile on her face. "All right, sorry, but I have to go now."

Tsunade waved her hand. "I get it; go help them out."

The pink haired woman nodded and after briefly pecking Sasuke on his lips – and was it Naruto's hopeful imagination or did that kiss look rather forced? – she hurried out of the office, giving Naruto a distracted smile on her way out.

"Unless something happens in the meantime or you have any concerns, I'll see you back in this office in two months, Naruto," Tsunade announced, handing over the ultrasounds to Sasuke. "We'll take another look at the baby to make sure everything is still okay and then we'll schedule your C-section, okay?"

Wrinkling his nose, he didn't particularly like the thought of being cut open, but he also knew there was no other way, Naruto inclined his head in understanding. "Yeah, all right, baa-chan."

"All right, brat, I'll talk to you soon," the busty woman promised, squeezing his shoulder affectionately before guiding him and Sasuke outside.

"No luck with Sakura-chan so far?" Naruto asked softly once the door closed behind them.

Sasuke pressed his lips tightly together and shook his head; irritation slumbering in his eyes. "No, it's remarkable how busy the hospital has suddenly become," he replied snidely and they started making their way to his car. "But this can't last forever. She'll know the truth before our baby is born, I promise."

It was strange, Naruto mused as he lowered himself into the passenger's seat, how one person could feel both so guilty, yet elated at the same time.

* * *

Sasuke popped by the next evening to celebrate Itachi's birthday.

"Otouto," Itachi said surprised when Sasuke appeared in the living room after Deidara had let him inside. "What are you doing here?"

"Celebrating my brother's birthday; why else would I be here?" Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and rolled his eyes before joining Naruto on the couch. He made an aborted move as if to lean towards Naruto and kiss him but thought better of it and instead leant past the blond to place his present on the table.

"Oh." Itachi looked genuinely surprised for a moment before he shook it off and smirked, "I'm honoured that you took time out of your busy schedule to visit your older brother."

"I can always leave and take the present with me," Sasuke threatened, scowling.

The older Uchiha raised his hands placatingly. "Can't I be happy to have my little brother coming over for my birthday?" he asked rhetorically, but dropped the teasing in favour of the birthday cake Deidara carried inside.

He blinked at the sight of the two tier cake, covered in whipped cream with slices of strawberry and peach gleaming against the white background of the cream. "I know for a fact that you can't bake a cake to save your life," he told Deidara casually, not even flinching when the blond scowled and smacked his shoulder. "So did you buy this?"

"No, Naruto-kun made it this afternoon, un," Deidara explained, cutting the cake into several pieces after fending off Itachi's hand. "Looks great, doesn't it?" he continued cheerfully.

When dark eyes regarded him questioningly, Naruto shrugged, a bit self-conscious. "Wasn't that much work," he said lightly, accepting his own plate.

"Well, thanks," Itachi smiled, pulling Deidara next to him once the blond was finished giving everyone a piece of the birthday cake. "That reminds me, Sasuke: I'm surprised Haruno-san didn't accompany you here."

Sasuke pursed his lips and rolled his shoulders, wiggling a piece of his cake free with his fork. "She's been put on the nightshift for the upcoming week, so she left for the hospital an hour ago," he replied flatly and fortunately for the overall mood, Itachi decided not to pursue the topic of Sakura.

Once most of the cake had been demolished and the dirty dishes placed in the sink, it was time for the presents.

Deidara's gift seemed to be some sort of small notebook but when Itachi leaved through some pages he snorted and smirked; eyes dancing with dark mirth as he kissed Deidara's lips in thanks.

"I don't even want to know," Sasuke muttered darkly before practically shoving his gift into his brother's hands. It was wrapped in dark green paper and from the size and shape of it, it seemed to be some kind of book.

Naruto didn't catch the title of the book once Itachi had unwrapped it, but the older man appeared delighted with it as he browsed through it carefully.

"It's in Old Japanese," he remarked; his eyes flitting back and forth across some pages.

"They're not the original poems, of course, but I remembered you studying Old Japanese, so I figured you'd like these," Sasuke explained and looked away, as if embarrassed that he had remembered that particular detail about his brother.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, soundlessly repeating, "Old Japanese." Of course Itachi knew Old Japanese; why did that not surprise him?

Deidara grinned, pressing a chaste kiss on Itachi's cheek. "My little nerd," he said fondly, cackling when the other man huffed and pinched his thigh.

"You got me a gift?" Itachi asked bemused when Naruto handed over his own gift, which was a plain envelope.

"Of course I got you a gift," Naruto huffed, crossing his arms on top of his belly. "Would be rude not to, don't you think?"

The dark haired man blinked, cocking his head slightly to the left when he retrieved the paper from the envelope. "You're offering to paint a drawing of our choice in the nursery?" he read aloud.

"Oh, that's amazing, un!" Deidara exclaimed enthusiastically, snatching the paper out of Itachi's hand. "I've seen some of your drawings and they're incredible!"

Naruto's cheeks heated up and he hoped he didn't resemble a tomato right now. "I couldn't come up with anything that I could buy for you, so I figured this would be the next best thing," he offered as explanation and scratched his cheek bashfully, dropping his hand again to cup his stomach when the baby firmly kicked him.

"I like the present, Naruto-kun; it's thoughtful," Itachi reassured him. "Are you up for it, though? You still got a few months left before you're due."

Naruto shrugged; his thumb idly rubbing circles against the right side of his belly. "I'll probably need some time depending on what kind of drawing you want, but I'll be okay."

"You're not going to paint an entire wall while you're pregnant," Sasuke snapped, narrowing his eyes.

 _And here we go again_. "Sasuke, it's not dangerous," Naruto repeated the by now old argument impatiently. "I'll leave the window open, wear even a damn mask and I'll take a break on time, okay?"

"Can't you just make the outline and let someone else do the actual painting?" Sasuke demanded, turning his body to give the blond man his full attention.

"Like who?" Naruto quirked an eyebrow, catching in the corner of his eye Deidara smirking.

"Itachi can do it!"

"No offense, un," Deidara drawled amused, "but while Itachi is a man of many talents, painting decently is not one of them."

"I'd feel offended if that wasn't true," Itachi said calmly.

"Then let me help," Sasuke said determinedly.

"It's just painting!"

"Exactly! So let me help!"

"Fine! But no complaining and listen to my instructions!" Naruto huffed, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

"I can do that." Sasuke nodded; his eyes glinting, satisfied that he had won the argument.

Itachi snorted derisively. "No, you can't. You're too stubborn for that."

That set off a big argument between the two brothers while the two blond men watched amused from the side-lines.

* * *

When Sasuke left late that evening, they shared a soft kiss in the hallway, hidden from sight from the older men, and Naruto felt something being pressed into his hand. Something thin and paper like.

"I'll talk to you later," Sasuke whispered and after stealing another kiss, he left; the door closing behind him softly.

When Naruto looked down, a lump formed in his throat when he saw what Sasuke had given him.

The ultrasounds of their baby.

* * *

" _We'll be back by Sunday at the latest."_

Deidara's reassurance lingered in the back of his mind and he twirled his pen between his fingers. It was Friday evening and he was alone in the house. Itachi and Deidara had left on a small trip; Deidara wanted to visit his parents before the baby was born and considering how his due date was slowly approaching, the couple had decided this weekend was the best opportunity.

They had seemed reluctant to leave Naruto on his own, but he had assured them he would be fine. It wasn't as if he hadn't lived on his own for years after all. He'd be fine for a few nights. He had met up with Gaara to share dinner, talking about Gaara's work and the baby. Now he was back in his room and …

Well, it did feel a bit weird to be completely on his own for the first time here. At this hour he would normally hear the television downstairs; sometimes he would even join the couple and watch whatever they were watching at the moment.

Now everything was silent; the summer air drifting languidly through the cracked open window as the slowly setting sun dyed the sky with orange, red and purple streaks.

"It's quiet," he murmured, staring out of the window. There was nobody on the street either, though in the distance his ears picked up the sound of children's laughter.

As if in response, his baby nudged him and he smiled, caressing his belly. Blue eyes drifted towards his phone, which laid innocuously on his desk; the screen glinting in the sunlight. His hand reached out and lingered right above the device as he pondered what he should do. Should he go for it? Maybe he couldn't come over.

He wouldn't know if he didn't ask.

His heart pounding loudly in his ears, he picked up his phone and selected the number from his list. The phone started to ring. Once. Twice.

"Naruto?"

Licking his lips – they felt suddenly dry – Naruto asked, "Hey Sasuke, do you have time?"

* * *

" _Deidara-kun and Itachi said they'll be back by Sunday at the latest."_

" _They're taking a trip to visit Deidara-kun's parents before the baby's born."_

" _I'm alone for the night. Do you want to come over?"_

This wouldn't be the usual visit. Not just a couple of hours of talking and sharing some kisses. No, it would be more than that. There was no misunderstanding what Naruto had meant with his request.

Sasuke knew that. Naruto saw that comprehension in the way dark eyes fixated themselves on him when he opened the door. He noticed it in the way hands lingered around his hips when Sasuke greeted him with a kiss. It was in the way the silence between them was charged with tension as Naruto guided Sasuke to his room; as if the dark haired man hadn't been there before.

Naruto could ask whether Sakura would ask questions. He didn't. Instead he stopped right next to his bed, looking down at their hands where his thumbs were rubbing softly across pale skin. Slowly he raised his eyes, taking in the way Sasuke was dressed. He was still wearing his shiny, black dress shoes and black slacks. His white shirt was as pristine as if he had just pulled it on, but he was no longer wearing a tie and the first two buttons were undone, revealing a glimpse of his flawless skin.

Dark eyes studied him with an intensity that felt searing against his skin and Naruto swallowed; his mouth as dry as the desert suddenly. "Do you want to?" he asked; his voice barely louder than a whisper.

A hand slipped out of his hold and came up to cup his left cheek; a thumb rubbing hypnotic circles over his cheekbone. "I want. You?"

He exhaled shakily, feeling like he would burst out of his skin any moment now. "Yeah," was all he could bring out; his eyes wide.

For a couple of tension loaded seconds nothing happened; both of them suspended in time as outside the sky darkened steadily, blanketing the room in shadows.

Sasuke stirred, his other hand cupping Naruto's right cheek, and he sealed their mouths together. Naruto steadied his trembling hands against strong shoulders and relaxed into the kiss, sighing when the tip of a tongue traced across his closed lips. He parted them and a shiver danced across his spine when their tongues touched. He tingled all over, little sparks dancing across his lips, and he didn't think he would ever get tired of kissing Sasuke, of feeling the way their bodies moulded together even with Naruto's belly pressing against Sasuke's own flat stomach.

They broke apart with a soft gasp, both of them breathing heavier, and their eyes remained locked together as they slowly started to divest each other from their clothes. Every piece of clothing drifted towards the floor like snowflakes, covering the carpet from view. Then they were completely naked.

Naruto's breath was stolen as he took in the sight waiting in front of him. His memories of those few nights together so many months ago didn't do Sasuke any justice. His skin bathed in the soft silver light of the moon; his dark eyes glowing luminously as if lit with a flame from within. His black hair glinted blueish and his mouth was slightly reddened.

"You're gorgeous," Naruto breathed out, reaching out with his hands helplessly, eager to feel that smooth skin, to feel supple muscles shifting underneath his fingertips.

Another memory flashed through his mind then, tainted with shame and the ugly sensation of feeling unwanted, of rejection. His hands balled into fists, his breathing quickening, and he didn't dare to look down, past Sasuke's stomach, afraid of what he would see.

Scared of what he wouldn't see.

"I know what I want now," Sasuke broke the silence, taking a step forwards. "It's not going to be like that again, Naruto."

"Yeah?" Naruto smiled weakly, but his eyes utterly refused to glance down; his cheeks pricking with heat.

Sasuke's sigh caressed his cheek and then his hand was suddenly snatched and pulled towards Sasuke, brought to …

His breath hitched and he flushed when his fingers closed around Sasuke's cock, which was decidedly hard and interested now. "Oh," he uttered dumbly, wetting his lips.

"Oh," Sasuke smirked, releasing Naruto's hand. "It's different this time, Naruto."

And oh, was it different this time.

They sank on the bed together, kissing each other more heated this time, more passion leaking through as their mouths opened and their tongues caressed each other. Their hands trailed across skin, swiping over shoulders and backs, caressing stomachs, thumbs turning pink nipples into pebbles.

A breathy moan escaped Naruto when hot lips trailed down his neck, sucking and biting softly, before they dipped even further down, past his collarbone, and closing around his left nipple. Teeth tugged carefully at the little nub and Naruto inhaled sharply, his back arching a bit as slight stinging pain and pure heady arousal clashed together. Fingers worried his other nipple between the pads and Naruto couldn't stop a mewl from escaping, flushing at the unexpected noise leaving his throat. His chest had become ridiculously sensitive and Sasuke seemed to take note of that; his dark eyes glinting as he smirked around the dark pink nipple.

"Shit," Naruto laughed breathlessly, letting his head fall back against his pillow. His own hands were moving restlessly up and down Sasuke's back before they voyaged towards the man's chest, pressing against hardened nipples briefly before they slipped further down, touching his stomach, muscles clenching and relaxing underneath his caress.

He didn't know how long they explored each other's body, how much time passed as their lips and hands mapped out skin, leaving paths of blazing heat behind. Sasuke kissed right underneath his ear and Naruto kissed his chest, dipping his tongue into Sasuke's bellybutton, before he slid up again and pressed their mouths together.

How many kisses did they share? He lost count. He was drowning in Sasuke's caresses, in the way fingers teased him, rubbed across his skin, awaking a fire inside of him he hadn't known he possessed.

Sasuke plucked the bottle of lubrication out of his hands before Naruto could even flick open the cap and blue eyes shot up, staring at him in surprise.

"Let me do it," Sasuke murmured throatily; his cheeks flushed pink and glowing.

Suddenly tongue-tied, Naruto nodded silently, opening his legs as Sasuke opened the bottle and squirted some of the clear liquid on his fingers. The small bit of self-consciousness which had started to grow was extinguished when Sasuke growled, his eyes flashing up when he took in the way Naruto was spread out underneath him.

The first finger was hesitant, Sasuke clearly uncertain how far he could go, what he should do to avoid hurting Naruto and the blond smiled softly, looping his arms around Sasuke's neck.

"Just slowly press it in," he murmured, his eyes becoming half lidded when Sasuke did as he was told. The digit slowly slipped inside, spreading the lube around his entrance a bit. "Just – just in and out. I'll tell you when I'm ready for more."

Sasuke nodded and keeping the pace slow, started slipping his finger in and out as his mouth sought out Naruto's again.

"Two now," Naruto breathed out a little while later into Sasuke's neck and smiled when the man shivered. His muscles tensed up automatically when two fingers breached him and Sasuke stiffened in response, halting the action.

Naruto shook his head, kissing Sasuke's collarbone. "I'm fine; just not used anymore to it. You can go on."

Sasuke eyed him warily, but slipped his fingers deeper inside. Maybe he had looked it up or it was just accidental, but he curled his fingers slightly inside Naruto, brushing his knuckles against his inner walls, stretching him carefully.

"Hm, keep doing that," Naruto sighed and found Sasuke's mouth again as slender fingers spread him slowly, dipping in deeper each time.

The third finger seemed to make Sasuke a bit more confident and once he got the go ahead, he started slipping in his fingers smoother and quicker. His fingertips brushed against Naruto's prostate and a broken moan left Naruto's mouth, swallowed up by Sasuke's swollen lips.

"You like that?" Sasuke breathed out against his chin and when Naruto nodded, he smiled and continued aiming for that spot, reducing Naruto into a shivering and moaning mess eventually.

"I'm – I'm ready," Naruto panted, sparks of pleasure racing through his body. His cock was leaking and it wouldn't take much for him to be send off the edge he was sure. Before that happened though, he wanted to feel Sasuke inside him.

Sasuke nodded and slathered his cock with more lubrication, coating it thoroughly in the clear, thick liquid. They shifted around until Naruto was lying on his right side with Sasuke spooning him. Naruto's belly limited the positions somewhat, but that didn't matter.

What mattered was Sasuke gripping his leg and holding it up slightly, allowing himself to slid between Naruto's cheeks. What mattered was Sasuke resting his cock against Naruto's stretched entrance, not yet pushing inside, but kissing Naruto softly on his shoulder, as he whispered, "You ready?"

Naruto nodded, pressing himself back against Sasuke as much as he could. "Go on," he croaked out and then he stopped breathing for a moment when Sasuke pressed into him, sinking deeper and deeper, filling him completely.

This position didn't allow for any fast or harsh thrusts, but that was fine. Sasuke started moving slowly once Naruto had adjusted himself to the intrusion, drawing back slowly before he slid forwards again. They settled into a slow rhythm and with every third thrust Sasuke brushed against that sweet spot inside of him, eliciting groans and soft moans from the pliant body in his arms. Their hands linked together against Naruto's chest, the sweat coating their bodies making it easier for them to move.

Pleasure began pooling steadily in Naruto's lower stomach until it spilt, coursing through his entire body, making his fingers and toes tingle. Their bodies rocked together and lips kissed his shoulder, black strands tickling the back of his neck.

Naruto didn't have any time to warn Sasuke before his back arched and he whimpered, "Sasuke!" before he was spilling onto the sheets, pleasure pulsing; white sparks filling the back of his closed eyelids.

His muscles clenched around Sasuke and the older man groaned, burying his face into Naruto's neck as he panted harshly, his hips stuttering to a stop as he spilt inside his lover.

They laid there for a while, still connected and sticky with sweat, enjoying the afterglow.

They didn't speak when Sasuke pulled back, but they didn't need to. They took a quick shower together to freshen up, sharing soft, tender kisses underneath the cool water.

"You'll stay here?" Naruto asked sleepily when he sank into his bed, dressed in a T-shirt and boxers.

"For as long as you want," Sasuke whispered, tugging him into his arms and pressing a kiss on his forehead.

The night was warm, the air humid, and they would probably start sweating in no time again, pressed as tightly together as they were now.

Despite all that Naruto fell asleep with a smile, in the arms of the man he loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: The chapter turned out to be longer than usual, but I guess you won't mind that LOL I hope it wasn't too bad!
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter should normally be posted on the 26th of January.
> 
> I see you all back in the next chapter! 
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Shockingly enough I actually finished this chapter on time instead of having to rush through it ...
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and the kudos! I can't believe we're nearing 700 kudos already :O
> 
> Warnings: Some angst and a surprise 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 23_

When he woke up, it was still dark. He blinked languidly, sleep still tugging at the edges of his consciousness. He was tempted to fall asleep again, but then a murmur left the lips of the man lying next to him in bed and all of a sudden he was wide awake.

Slowly, careful to not disturb the other one, he reached out with his hand, letting his hand roam across the nightstand. His fingers bumped against the edge of a book first, before they slid across cool plastic. His hand closed around the phone and he picked it up, bringing it to his face. Pressing the home button had the screen flaring brightly to life, making him wince and squint his eyes against the sudden onslaught of bright light, even when it was restricted to a small screen.

The digital clock announced that it was a quarter past one. Still midnight. He placed the phone back on the nightstand, watching how the screen dimmed after a moment before turning completely dark once more.

The window was still cracked open, allowing a soft breeze to enter and circulate around the room. It only brought the faintest of relief from the cloying warmth of the day. The house being at the edge of the town, had the traffic noise very muted, just a faint buzz in the distance.

The pillow rustled underneath him when he turned his head, gazing at the man sleeping next to him. Some light of the streetlamp outside slipped into the room, enough for him to study the other one.

Some strands of blond hair glistened; the rest of Naruto covered in the shadows. He had turned around in his sleep to face Sasuke and the blanket had shifted downwards, resting around their hips. The off white shirt clung to Naruto's torso, doing nothing to hide his rounded belly. His stomach was pressing into Sasuke's side and when he placed his hand on it, he became aware of gentle fluttering movements right underneath the skin.

_Their baby._

In just a couple of months their son would be born. They would need to come up with a name soon; he didn't want to be like his brother and brother-in-law and not even have a name decided yet when the due date came nearer and nearer. They would also need to find their own place in the near future; Naruto could hardly keep living here with the baby and having him move in in the house Sasuke shared with Sakura … That would be beyond uncomfortable. No, best to make a fresh start completely and pick out a place for themselves, without the ghosts of the past clinging to it.

Before all that could happen, though, he would need to convince Sakura to sign the divorce papers. Considering how much she was evading him nowadays, clearly knowing their time together was up, but not wanting to acknowledge it completely, that wasn't going to be easy.

He sighed inaudibly; his hand caressing Naruto's side up and down slowly, keeping his touch light enough not to wake his slumbering lover.

 _Lover_. Something he had thought would never apply to him. Certainly he and Sakura had had sex; you couldn't hope to conceive a child without having sex and one of her demands for her agreement to their marriage had been intimacy. However, he had never really instigated the act on his own with her. She had been mostly the one letting him know what she wanted to do that night. He just went along with it, figuring it was the least he could do for asking her to marry him in order to get his father to back down.

The truth was that he had never been really interested in sex. Years of being pressured by Fugaku to be the best in everything he attempted to do had left him with little to no time to figure out just what exactly he wanted in a relationship. While other people his age had been dating, trying to discover just which sex they were attracted to, he had been attending juku after school to prepare himself for university. Aside from the lessons at the cram school, he had also been the captain of the judo club and the mathematics club. Unlike other students who attended these after school activities, there had barely been any time for him to hang out with his friends. It had only been because of mother's and Naruto's interference that he had had some resemblance of a social life during his school years.

The fact remained, however, that he had been constantly busy trying to win Fugaku's approval while other people went out and discovered who they were. Then Fugaku had suddenly demanded it was time for him to start a family, to give him a new heir for the Uchiha name, and Sasuke … had panicked. Father's suggestion to court a girl from the Hyuuga clan had made him sick, knowing that he would be completely trapped then. Fugaku would make certain that the girl would be on his side, not on Sasuke's to prevent his son from getting any ideas which wouldn't coincide with his. It had been either marrying a Hyuuga member or finding a girl of his own.

Not knowing many girls and trusting even fewer of them, Sasuke had latched on to the one solution he had had at that time: asking his friend Sakura to marry him. She was studying to become a doctor and while not coming from an old, influential family as the Hyuuga, the prestige of having a doctor in the family – someone who could count the famous Tsunade as one of her acquaintances and one of her sensei on top of that – had been enough to convince Fugaku of the merit of marrying Sakura.

Now Sasuke wished he hadn't done that. He wished he could have been as brave as his brother and leave the clan when it became clear that his own wishes would never matter. When it became more than obvious that he was nothing but a tool to his father, the spare son on which he had to place all his hopes because his oldest son had failed him.

He had hated Itachi for a long time. Had resented him for years for leaving him behind, for abandoning him. Perhaps if he had given Sasuke his new address, had kept contact with him, he might have found the courage to leave as well.

" _I thought that with my leaving, father would finally realise that he has another son too. I know how much you longed to have his attention."_

Itachi's words during that one phone call a couple of months ago danced through his mind, tainted with bitterness. Yes, he had wanted father's attention; he had been jealous of Itachi for having father's approval, for not having to fight for even the barest scrap of attention. For actually _being seen_ by the older man and not constantly have to wonder whether the man even realised he had a second child. He had attempted for years to gain Fugaku's approval.

Now he wished he hadn't. He wished Itachi hadn't wrongly decided it would be better for him to cut off all ties, leaving him to father's mercy. Yes, it was true that he didn't have to face Fugaku's wrath like Itachi had done, but …

His approval and attention might actually be worse in the end. Because Itachi was free; free to choose where to work and who to marry. Sasuke wasn't; every chance at freedom had been snatched from him the day Fugaku had decided his youngest son was worth more than the failure he no longer cared to call his eldest son. The Uchiha patriarch had done everything in his power to ensure that Sasuke wouldn't turn out like Itachi, wouldn't shame the Uchiha name by choosing for a man and his own path in life.

Naruto snuffled, wrinkling his nose, and his leg hooked around Sasuke's; his hand coming to rest on Sasuke's chest, clutching his shirt weakly. A wry smile coloured Sasuke's lips as dark eyes locked onto the sleeping face of the blond man.

Guess he had failed father as well.

He had been content in his marriage; he liked Sakura, she was a good friend. He didn't love her like a husband should, had warned her over and over again that it would never happen, and yet she still had agreed to marry him. There was even a clause in their marriage contract that the marriage could be annulled if one of them fell in love with someone else. He had added that clause mainly for Sakura's benefit in case she found someone; it wasn't as if Fugaku would let him end the marriage on his own after all. Sakura was his friend, however, and she didn't deserve to be trapped in a marriage.

He had never expected to be the one in need to invoke that particular clause.

He didn't know when it had happened. When he had ceased to think of Naruto as just his best friend, and instead of something more. He had known for years which way Naruto swung; the younger man had been jittery with nerves when he had come out of the closet to his friends, so certain they would abandon him, reject him like so many people had done before.

Naruto had always been stronger, braver than him, though. Even facing the possibility of rejection hadn't kept the man from being truthful to himself. Once he was certain who he was, he had declared it boldly, even if he had looked sick with nerves.

Sasuke hadn't even realised who he really was until a couple of months ago. Until he discovered that he thought about Naruto more than was warranted for him being his best friend. In spite of the incredible awkwardness that had clung to them during that weekend, Sasuke had caught himself remembering their moments on the futon more times than was healthy. Something in him had clenched every time he had recalled the sensation of being inside Naruto and his morbid curiosity had driven him to looking at certain videos – something he had never done before. None of the guys in those had stirred his interest and he had thought that he was merely unsettled because he had never expected to have sex with his best friend. His _male_ best friend.

Then Naruto had been attacked and he had been surprised by how furious he had felt when Itachi had called him. Sure, he had been pissed off before when people thought they could beat the shit out of Naruto without consequences, but that day …

Realising how close Naruto had come to dying, how much danger he had been in, could have been if Itachi hadn't passed by that night … That had probably been the catalyst of everything.

He had started thinking about Naruto more and more, paying more attention to the man whenever he was around him, seeking excuses to talk or speak to him.

Then they had kissed, right after feeling their baby kick for the first time, and only one thought had shot through Sasuke's mind: _"This is it."_

He and Sakura shared kisses – of course they did, they were husband and wife. However, none of those ever sent such sparks through him like his kisses with Naruto did. None of her kisses had ever made him forget the time, had made him lightheaded, yet eager for more. Naruto made him feel alive, something Sakura had never really managed.

Naruto made him think about himself, forced him to look at his life and wonder whether he was really okay with it. Whether he really could remain okay with letting his father dictate every step of his life. When he looked at his brother, saw with his own eyes how happy he was with Deidara, how he had made a life of his own without father lurking in the background – Sasuke wanted that kind of life too.

He wanted the same freedom Itachi had, wanted to make choices that would make _him_ happy and not necessarily the family.

For the first time in his life he wanted to be selfish and disregard Fugaku's wishes, instead snatching up his own happiness.

His happiness was the man lying next to him, the one carrying his son; his best friend, the only one who cared only about him and not about his name or what he could do to benefit that name.

Naruto had always just seen _him_ : not the second choice, the last resort when the perfect first son turned out to not be so perfect after all. Just him, with flaws and all.

The younger man had been there through the good and the bad times, even during the time when Sasuke had been lashing out, a giant ball of frustration and self-loathing and anger; a time when even Sakura had gone out of her way to avoid him. Naruto had taken the punches, the insults and the bruises and had given back as well as he got, beating sense into him.

Other people would have washed their hands off of him during that time, but not Naruto. He had always been there, right at his side even when Sasuke had been adamant he didn't need the other man, that he should just fuck off and leave him alone.

He was incredibly grateful that Naruto had been too stubborn to leave him alone.

If Sasuke had been as brave like his brother, would he and Naruto have found each other in this way earlier? Would they have been together for years by now then? He didn't know. There was no way to go back in the past and make different decisions either.

He did know that he wanted Naruto. It had taken him a long time to figure himself out, but now he was certain: he wanted the man in his arms and nobody else. He would need to sit Sakura down soon and tell her the truth. He didn't want to hurt her, not after what she had sacrificed for him, but he also didn't want to keep lying to her. She didn't deserve that.

She didn't deserve having her husband cheat on her and Naruto didn't deserve to be kept a secret. Things were about to become very messy, but …

The thought of being with Naruto in the end was worth whatever problems he'd encounter on the way.

A car drove by; the headlights casting thin beams across the ceiling for a moment before darkness returned once more. The sound of the motor stirred him out of his thoughts and he blinked, at once aware of how dry his mouth felt. He needed to drink something before going back to sleep.

He managed to disentangle himself from Naruto's clutches without disturbing him and padded on bare feet out of the room. The floor was cold underneath his warm feet and some steps creaked softly when he descended the staircase in the dark. He had memorised the layout of the house somewhat and it didn't take him long to locate the kitchen even without light aiding him.

It was pitch black in the kitchen and as he didn't fancy bumping against any sharp edges, his hand trailed across the wall, searching for the elusive light switch. His thumb hit a protrusion and he flicked it upwards. Gradually the T-light started glowing, a soft orange that grew into a bright white, illuminating the whole kitchen. He blinked, his eyes needing to adjust from soft darkness to sharp light and once most of the spots dancing in front of his eyes were gone, he shuffled further into the kitchen, zoning in on the fridge.

He snatched up the first bottle he found, which was water and grabbed a glass out of one of the cupboards, filling it until the middle. The cold liquid sliding through his throat made him shiver slightly, but at least his mouth didn't feel as dry as the desert anymore.

Once his glass was empty, he dumped it in the sink and replaced the bottle in the fridge. The digital clock of the microwave read ten to two and he grimaced. Thank god it was Saturday and he didn't have to go to work unless he wanted to.

"I thought I would still have at least fifteen years before I would catch someone sneaking in after curfew," a voice rang out mockingly behind him and he froze.

What the fuck was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be gone for the entire weekend?

Swiftly he turned around; his heartbeat quickening from the fright he had just experienced. "I thought you had left town for the weekend," he remarked, crossing his arms.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, fully entering the kitchen now. He was still dressed in a shirt and trousers, evidence that he couldn't have been back for long.

At least Sasuke hoped he hadn't been back for long. He and Naruto hadn't exactly been quiet earlier; a fact which had shocked him to his core, because Naruto had almost been completely silent during that one weekend. A part of him had known things would be radically different this time when he had received Naruto's text, inviting him over to stay the night. However, he hadn't known just how responsive Naruto would turn out to be. His kisses had elicited pleased sighs; his touches and caresses breathy moans and deep groans. When he had slid inside, he had been treated to soft whimpers, cut off groans and hands grappling everywhere they could touch.

This Naruto hadn't been the silent being who had moved on top of him and just as quickly had disappeared into the shower afterwards, avoiding his gaze. No, this Naruto had been an enthusiastic, active participant, eager to touch and kiss, as vocal inside the bed as he was outside of it.

It was a stark difference to the first few times they had slept together, but it was a difference Sasuke staunchly preferred.

"That was the plan, yes," Itachi replied after closing the door, pulling Sasuke's attention back to the present. "But Deidara couldn't stand his parents' fussing, so he demanded we'd return. We got back around an hour ago."

Well, at least that meant neither of them had heard any suspicious noise coming from Naruto's room. A small mercy. "And you didn't go to sleep?"

The older man leant against the counter, too close for comfort. "Deidara's sleeping, but I was finishing up some paperwork. Until I heard someone coming in the kitchen. You can understand why I became curious." His smile was thin; his dark eyes unreadable.

"Could have been Naruto," Sasuke pointed out, keeping his arms crossed rigidly. He was acutely aware of the fact that he was only wearing his underwear and a shirt.

"I've come to recognise his footsteps by now," Itachi replied dryly. "He also doesn't come downstairs in the dark. I knew it couldn't be Gaara-san either, because Naruto-kun would have mentioned him coming over if that had been the case."

Unexpectedly a sharp bolt of jealousy stabbed him at the thought of Gaara staying the night and it took some effort not to scowl. How many times did Gaara stay over? They weren't still sharing a bed like they had done during secondary school, right?

"Why are you here, Sasuke?" Itachi demanded, leaning forwards slightly.

The lack of warmth in his voice had Sasuke quirking an eyebrow. "What? I'm not allowed to keep my best friend company?" he sneered.

"Best friend, yes. A secret lover on the other hand …"

"What are you talking - "

Itachi gestured impatiently towards his neck. "You're not exactly inconspicuous with those bruises in your neck. Unless you're going to tell me you managed to trip and fall on the edge of something with your neck?" he remarked sardonically.

The younger man flushed with embarrassment and slapped a hand in his neck. Fuck, he hadn't thought those marks would be that noticeable. "Who says - "

"I'd appreciate it if you would stop thinking I'm a clueless idiot," Itachi told him coldly and Sasuke's teeth click together when he abruptly shut up. Without even moving an inch, Itachi seemed to become bigger; his presence nearly suffocating in the kitchen. His gaze was cool, devoid of the spark of warmth that was usually present whenever he looked at his younger brother.

"How long has this affaire been going on, Sasuke?" Itachi questioned and whilst he didn't raise his voice, his words seemed to echo around them.

The word 'affaire' left a bitter taste behind in his mouth and his fingers dug into his ribs when he stiffly answered, "We've been seeing each other for nearly two months now."

His older brother shook his head, disappointment hanging over him like a dark cloud and unwillingly Sasuke flinched, dropping his eyes to the floor. God, he fucking hated disappointing Itachi. One would think he had got over that after being abandoned by the older man for years, but the force of Itachi's disappointment, the thought of being the cause of it, was enough to make him feel infinitely smaller, like he was a small child again who was scolded after colouring Itachi's library books because the pictures had needed ' _some pretty colours_ '.

"You have to stop this, Sasuke," Itachi stated flatly. "This has already gone too far. I didn't say anything before, but you're going too far now."

Dark eyes shot up to glare at him. "Excuse me? I'm not going to break up with him," Sasuke hissed angrily, taking a step forwards.

"He's your best friend!" Itachi snapped; eyes flaring up with anger. "You can't do this to him! You can't give him false hope; he doesn't deserve that!"

"I'm not giving him false hope! How dare you even think – I would never hurt him!" Sasuke snarled, balling his hands into fists. Anger, fuelled by years of feeling abandoned, licked at him, urging him to lash out and _react_.

Itachi slammed his hand on the counter; the smack reverberating through the kitchen. "You're married, Sasuke! What do you think this is doing to him, hm? You can't have it both ways and I'll be damned before I let you hurt him!"

"I'm not planning on having it both ways, you arsehole! I'm going to divorce Sakura!" The words were snarled, kept low enough to not disturb the sleeping men upstairs, but he might as well have shouted them, so stumped did they make Itachi look.

Sasuke would have felt smug about shutting up that bastard for once, but he was too pissed off to feel anything but the urge to punch the other man in his face.

"You're going to divorce Haruno-san?" Itachi questioned incredulously; his face dripping with disbelief.

It made Sasuke bristle and he glared at him. "Have you suddenly become deaf?" he sneered; his nails digging into the soft flesh of his hands. "Yes, I'm going to divorce her! How could you even think for one second I would lead Naruto on like that?" Aghast he realised that the pain he felt at having Itachi attack him instantly instead of hearing him out had slipped through his voice.

Itachi noticed it as well and his face softened with regret. With a sigh he slumped back against the counter, running one hand over his face. "Forgive me, Sasuke, but considering you married that girl to please father, I wasn't exactly confident that you would go against him like that. Father appeared to have too much power over you for you to resist him like this."

"And whose fault do you think it is that he had that kind of power?" Sasuke retorted bitterly and he should feel satisfied at the flinch going through his brother's body, but instead he merely felt empty.

Empty and tired.

This wasn't how he had imagined his weekend to unfold.

"You're really going to go through with it? With the divorce?" Itachi inquired softly.

The younger man nodded, leaning against the fridge; all the fight had abruptly left him and he needed something to steady him now. "I've already contacted a lawyer and we're going over the marriage contract. Once Sakura finally stops avoiding me, she can sign the papers and she and I can go our own way."

"I don't think she'll be very willing," Itachi cautioned him with a grimace.

Sasuke shrugged, rubbing his face tiredly. "Maybe not, but I told her from the start what my feelings are. It's not my fault if she expected me to change." That probably wasn't fair towards her, but at this moment he was just completely done with everything. He just wanted everything to be over with, so that he could finally start living the life he had been dreaming of for years in secret.

"What about the baby?"

"Naruto and I are going to raise him, of course. He's our son," Sasuke answered, narrowing his eyes, challenging the older man to say anything about it.

Itachi didn't take the bait and instead said sombrely, "Father is not going to like it."

A bitter chuckle escaped Sasuke and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Not going to like it? How about he's going to disown me and throw me out of the company. That's what's going to happen." He pressed his lips together and glanced away, at the window where he could see their reflections and behind that, pure darkness.

"Don't know what I'm going to do once he fires me," he continued flatly. "I'll have to find another job, but … that's going to be difficult considering father has connections everywhere."

He would have to find some place to work at, though, and preferably sooner than later. Sure, he had saved up quite the comfortable amount already with his job at the company, but buying a new house and getting everything ready for the baby's arrival would take a huge chunk out of that.

"I wouldn't say he has connections _everywhere_ ," Itachi spoke, emphasising the last word.

Sasuke turned to look at him with a frown. "What do you mean?"

Dark eyes, so similar to his, studied him intently. "How do you feel about coming to work for my company?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I promised a pov of Sasuke for this story and I delivered :) Most likely this is going to be the only pov change in this story. Next chapter we'll go back to Naruto's pov.
> 
> Itachi's and Sasuke's conversation wasn't exactly easy to write, so I hope I didn't screw it up too badly!
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you notice any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> The next chapter should normally appear on the ninth of February.
> 
> I see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter gave me a ridiculous amount of problems just to finish it and I don't know why *groans*
> 
> I am, however, incredibly happy: this story has almost 700 kudos! Thank you so much for your continued support!
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and the kudos!
> 
> Warnings: Nothing special
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 24_

_Eugh, why is it so hot?_

That was the first thought shooting through his mind when he woke up. He opened his eyes a bit and immediately closed them with a soft hiss, confronted by the bright sun peeking through the window. Why the fuck hadn't he closed the curtains last night?

With an annoyed moan he burrowed his face into his pillow – which felt quite odd actually. It was firmer than usual and seemed to be – moving?

_Wait, what?_

Blue eyes shot open, all traces of sleep vanishing completely as he shot up, pressing his hands into the mattress as he stared in shock at what was supposed to be his pillow and instead turned out to be –

"Sasuke?" he uttered perplexed.

A dark eyebrow rose up. "Yes?" Sasuke drawled, gazing at him calmly. He was reclined against the headboard and Naruto realised that his face had been pressed into his stomach before he woke up completely.

Because Sasuke was here. In his bed. Dressed in a T-shirt and underwear after they had …

Naruto's breath hitched as memories of last night flashed through his mind and his cheeks warmed. Perhaps he could have thought that last night had been nothing but a very good dream, but the light ache shooting through his back when he shifted a bit told him the truth.

He hadn't been dreaming. He had really called Sasuke, asked him to come over and they had had sex. He and Sasuke had _slept_ with each other – and this time there had been no need for a blindfold. This time Sasuke …

"You stayed," he mused in wonder, awed that Sasuke was still here. He hadn't really thought that Sasuke would sneak out during the night, but … It was nice to wake up next to him. Very nice even. He could feel his cheeks heat up more.

"Of course I stayed," Sasuke murmured, his voice still a bit rough with sleep. He extended his arms, drawing them around Naruto's shoulders to pull him back down. "Where else would I have gone to?"

Naruto grinned, pleased beyond words, and let himself be tugged back down. He was still too hot – being heavily pregnant in the summer wasn't fun – but he eagerly pressed himself against Sasuke's side, throwing his leg around his thighs. Their son started fussing around slightly, waking up too.

"You're sweaty," Sasuke remarked calmly, but his hand trailed lazily up and down Naruto's back, slipping underneath his shirt to trace patterns over his damp skin.

"You're not exactly clean and dry yourself," Naruto retorted, but didn't lift his head from Sasuke's chest, content to just lie there. He'd probably have to get up soon, because his bladder was starting to send out signals, but he was too comfortable right now.

He shifted his head slightly and pressed a kiss right underneath Sasuke's jaw, feeling the man startle slightly. "Thanks for staying. And for coming over," he mumbled, looking down at his fingers, which were splayed across Sasuke's stomach. The tip of his pinkie reached the older man's hipbone, he noted absentmindedly.

_For choosing me over Sakura_ , was the unspoken thought following after it. It wasn't a nice one, he knew, considering what they had just done and were doing, but … He couldn't help it. It was as if Sasuke's willingness to come over, his enthusiasm and intensity when they had made love, really cemented it for Naruto now: this was serious between them. Not just a passing fancy for the dark haired man; if it had been, he would have never risked staying the night. Speaking of …

"I guess we have to get up soon," he said reluctantly, sighing as he cupped his stomach. "I'm not sure when Deidara-kun and Itachi will get home. They might decide to come back today."

"They're already home."

"I mean, I guess we could sell our current attire as the night being too hot, but then they would question why you – what." Naruto blinked, Sasuke's answer only just now fully registering in his mind. He scrambled up, out of Sasuke's arms, and stared at him horrified. "What do you mean, ' _they're already home_ '?" he asked in a strangled voice, trying to keep quiet. That wasn't easy, though, now that he knew they weren't alone anymore. When the fuck had they come back? They were supposed to be gone until at least today!

_Oh god, please don't tell me they came back while Sasuke and I were …_

"They came back around midnight," Sasuke answered; his face blank.

"How do you know that?" A horrifying thought popped up and he stared wide eyed at the other man. "Please don't tell me they were in the room just now?!"

Sasuke snorted, shaking his head. "No, they weren't. They might still be sleeping, I don't know."

"Then how do you know they came back around midnight?" Blond eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I went downstairs in the middle of the night to drink some water. Got caught by Itachi," Sasuke replied flatly.

The younger man winced. "How, eh, how did he react?"

"He knows about us now," Sasuke murmured and though that was not a direct answer, it was telling enough for Naruto. "Apparently you left some marks behind." He tilted his neck to the left, showing an impressive dark mark on his skin right above the collar of his shirt.

Naruto grimaced, flushed even harder and facepalmed. "I'm so sorry," he groaned embarrassed. "I didn't – I, eh, I didn't mean to, you know …" he trailed off awkwardly, lowering his hand and gesturing towards the accusatory hickey.

"I don't mind," Sasuke sighed, idly pressing into the bruise. "I'm going to have to find some way to cover it up for now, though."

The whole ' _for now_ ' part should make Naruto excited, but his brain had already latched on to something the dark haired man had said earlier and he worried his lower lip between his teeth. "How, eh, how did Itachi react?" He swallowed, inexplicably nervous all of a sudden.

Deidara knew he was in love with Sasuke, but the blond man didn't know that he and Sasuke had already gone beyond that line. As far as the older blond was concerned, Naruto was still pathetically pining after his best friend. Itachi had never given any real indication that he knew about Naruto's feelings for his younger brother, but Naruto knew not to underestimate the older Uchiha. It was not because he hadn't said anything that he didn't have any suspicions. He had always been quick to figure out when Naruto had been planning a prank at the Uchiha manor after all.

"He was pissed off," Sasuke answered conversationally.

Naruto flinched, opening his mouth to apologise, but the other man continued blithely, "Because he thought I was leading you on."

"He what?" Naruto was floored. Itachi had been angry on his behalf? That didn't make much sense.

"Yep, he was quite clear about the fact that he didn't condone me hurting you like that. We probably would have got into a serious fight if I hadn't informed him I'm planning to divorce Sakura," Sasuke continued, sitting up straight now. He smiled wryly, raising one leg and wrapping his hands around his bent knee. "Not the way I wanted to come out to him, but." He shrugged.

Naruto studied him in silence for a while, taking in the way Sasuke sat there seemingly comfortably. As if he hadn't just come out to his brother and announced his intention to divorce his wife all at once after nearly getting into a fight with him.

"Are you okay?" he asked hesitatingly, wringing his shirt between his hands. He wasn't certain how Sasuke had planned to come out to his brother, but getting caught in the middle of the night probably hadn't been the plan.

"I'm fine." At Naruto's sceptical look, Sasuke chuckled softly and said, "No, really, I'm fine. It wasn't – as bad as I thought it would be like. Feels like a relief now, actually, that he knows about it. Sneaking around behind his back wasn't exactly easy."

"Tell me about it." The pregnant man wrinkled his nose. Itachi was far too observant for his liking.

Abruptly Sasuke leant forwards and rubbed Naruto's stomach carefully, slipping his hand underneath to stroke his bare belly. "Did you sleep well?" he questioned; his dark eyes trained upon Naruto's stomach which rippled when their son kicked.

"I did, yeah." Naruto glanced down, placing his hand on top of Sasuke's, over his shirt. "You?"

"Can't complain," Sasuke murmured; some black strands falling forwards, casting a shadow over his cheek.

"Good." Naruto laid back down, tugging Sasuke lower so that the older man had to lie down as well. "My bladder's not in emergency mode yet, so I don't want to leave this bed for now. I'm comfortable," he added lightly.

Sasuke snorted softly. "Well, as long as you're comfortable," he snarked, but his arm slipped around Naruto's waist, pulling him a little closer.

"Exactly," Naruto grinned and closed his eyes again, tucking his head underneath Sasuke's chin. He wrapped an arm around his chest and threw his leg over his hips, pressing as closely as his rounded stomach allowed.

The confrontation with Itachi and Deidara could wait a little while longer. For now he just wanted to bask in the sensation of being in Sasuke's arms – no matter how cheesy that sounded.

* * *

"So, am I just supposed to ignore the fact that Sasuke-kun apparently spent the night, un?" Deidara drawled, looking between Naruto and Sasuke with sharp eyes. He leant back in his chair, his hand wrapped around a glass of cold apple juice.

They were having a late breakfast and Naruto had kind of been hoping that Deidara wouldn't question Sasuke's presence too much. Sure, he had quirked an eyebrow when Sasuke had entered the kitchen after Naruto – and Sasuke's current apparel made it quite clear he hadn't come from outside – but Naruto had thought he would just keep quiet about it, accepting it like he had accepted Gaara's presence that one time a few months back when the red haired man had stayed the night. It had been the anniversary of the death of Gaara's mother and it was one of the very few moments that Gaara allowed himself to be vulnerable and actually ask for Naruto to sleep with him for comfort.

Deidara hadn't seemed perturbed the next morning when Gaara had shuffled into the kitchen and had merely handed him a cup of black coffee. Granted, Gaara had looked like shit then, making it clear that nothing had happened between him and Naruto, while Sasuke most definitely did _not_ look like shit now, but still …

Apparently Deidara wasn't willing to be merciful now.

"Yep," Naruto popped his lips, chasing after some chocolate pieces in his bowl of cereal and studiously ignoring Deidara's heavy gaze. "Just pretend he's part of the décor. You won't notice he's there, I swear."

Next to him Sasuke sighed the sigh of the long suffering, but otherwise didn't react. Itachi kept quiet, but Naruto hadn't expected him to say anything – at least not while Deidara was still around. He seemed content to not inform his fiancé of what had happened last night.

"While he does make for outstanding décor," Deidara allowed, "that still doesn't explain why he spent the night."

"Because we're best friends and we needed some male bonding time?" Naruto suggested, sharper than he intended. Then his brain caught up to what he had said and he felt himself heat up, colouring a fierce red. He waved his hands around wildly, nearly hitting Sasuke in his face. "Wait, that's not what I meant! I mean, not in the context that you're probably thinking of! Although, that depends on what kind of context you're thinking of, but if it's the wrong one, I can tell you now that - "

"Oh my god, Naruto, shut the hell up," Sasuke groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "You're just making it worse."

"Trust me, it can't get any worse than this," Itachi said dryly, sipping from his cup of coffee. His hair wasn't yet tied together in a low ponytail and fell across his shoulders, spilling like ink over them.

"Look, I'm not stupid, un," Deidara stated, leaning forwards abruptly. "You both have some pretty impressive hickeys and you're mad if you think I believe those came from getting into a fight with a doorknob," he sneered, narrowing his eyes.

Naruto covered his right shoulder self-consciously. His hickey wasn't that visible, but it did peek out a bit from beneath his collar; he had hoped it wouldn't be that noticeable. "I slammed into the doorframe?" he suggested helplessly, but his shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no getting out of this, he knew. The evidence was pretty damning after all. Why had he thought it had been a good idea to invite Sasuke over?

Deidara just looked at him unimpressed, clearly not believing his flimsy excuse.

The younger blond threw his hands up in defeat and heaved a sigh, pushing his bowl away. "Fine, yes, Sasuke stayed the night."

"We already covered that, un," Deidara retorted impatiently. "What I want to know is whether you two are officially together or not." He swiftly turned towards Sasuke and added darkly, "You better be, because if you're just in it to fuck him and then go back to your wife, you have a whole other thing coming. Trust me, I know many ways to make you regret messing with Naruto-kun, un."

His dark, cold words were such a far cry from his usual disposition that it even had Naruto swallowing nervously; his eyes darting between Sasuke and Deidara.

"You know, Naruto can take care of himself," Sasuke replied coolly.

Deidara shrugged. "True, but he also loves you, which would make him less likely to make you pay for real. I, on the other hand, don't love you like that, so I wouldn't have any trouble making you pay."

"That's my little brother you're threatening, Deidara," Itachi said, pursing his lips.

The blond pointed towards Naruto. "And that's my best friend your little brother is potentially messing with, un."

"Oh my god! He's not messing around with me!" Naruto said frustrated, smacking his hand against the table in irritation. "We're officially together, no messing around happening here. No need to act like an overprotective mama bear here. Besides you're wrong if you think I wouldn't make the bastard regret it if he did end up screwing me over," he huffed.

"Then what about Haruno-san?" Deidara demanded, but he didn't sound challenging or threatening anymore.

"I'm planning on divorcing her," Sasuke replied calmly. "As soon as she stops avoiding me, I'll give her the papers."

Deidara nodded approvingly, leaning back in his chair again.

"Well, now that we have all the awkwardness and accusations out of the way, we can continue breakfast," Naruto said cheerfully, clapping his hands.

Deidara raised an eyebrow. "If you think this was already awkward – how do you think your godfather will react, un?"

_Ah, god damnit._

* * *

"Well, that could have gone worse," Naruto muttered, hooking his fingers around a belt hoop of Sasuke's trousers.

"Who doesn't love getting threatened during breakfast?" Sasuke questioned sarcastically. He was leaning against his car; sunglasses perched on his nose and hiding his eyes.

Naruto grimaced, feeling oddly guilty. "Sorry, I didn't know he would react like that."

The dark haired man uttered a sigh and rested his hands on Naruto's hips. "At least he kept it to threats; I kind of expected those, so." He rolled his shoulders, appearing unbothered.

"Yeah, but still. He didn't have to act like that," the blond man huffed, still a bit put out. He caught the way Sasuke glanced at his watch and bit on his lips. "You need to go?"

"Yeah, I have a meeting with my lawyer to discuss the marriage contract," Sasuke explained; his thumbs rubbing absentmindedly over sharp hipbones.

Blond eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I thought you already had the papers ready?"

"The papers for the divorce are ready; they just need to be signed by her," Sasuke agreed. "But this meeting is just to make certain that I'm not missing anything important that could come back to bite me in the arse later on."

Naruto wanted to ask what this important thing could possibly be, but was distracted by another thought. A thought which had his stomach cramping with nerves and him wondering guiltily why he hadn't thought of this sooner, especially given what was happening now.

"What about your father?" he questioned softly and felt the other man stiffen against him. He didn't want to ruin the good mood between them, not when Sasuke was so relaxed even after the interrogation he had received from the couple inside the house, but he also couldn't ignore the issue of Fugaku any longer.

Sasuke kept saying he would make Sakura sign the divorce papers as soon as she stopped avoiding him – which given Sasuke's limited patience at times would hopefully be sooner than later. What about Fugaku, however? The man had kept his youngest son underneath his thumb for so long, even forcing him to marry a girl just to escape the possibility of being tied to the Hyuuga clan. There was no way Fugaku would react well to the news that Sasuke was planning to divorce Sakura – and he would most likely go absolutely ballistic once he found out just _why_ exactly Sasuke suddenly wanted to separate from his wife.

Mikoto wouldn't be an issue, Naruto assumed. She cared more about her children than about the family's prestige and Naruto was sure there was still a part in her which had never forgiven Fugaku for disinheriting their oldest son and kicking him out of the house. When shit would inevitably hit the fan, she would still be there for her youngest son.

But Fugaku … Sasuke had worked his arse off for years just to get a glimmer of acknowledgement from his father; he had finally reached that point with Fugaku even planning on leaving the company into Sasuke's hands eventually. Sasuke stood to lose all that the moment he came out.

The second he would make known that he chose for Naruto and their child, Fugaku would cut him off from the family, Naruto was sure of that. He had done that with his oldest son; there was no way he would be more lenient with his youngest son – the one he had pinned all his hopes upon.

Could Sasuke get through that? Would he be able to handle the rejection that might – most likely would – follow from the man he had sought acknowledgement from throughout his entire life so far? How would he react if he was kicked out of the family, no longer in Fugaku's graces?

Itachi had dealt with that situation rather well, even made a name for himself in the business. Sasuke, on the other hand, had always been more sensitive than his brother – even though he would never admit that and likely punch Naruto if he ever mentioned that fact aloud – and had always been more eager to gain his parents' approval. Fugaku's rejection would hit him much harder than it had ever hit Itachi most likely.

Arms tightened around him, dragging him out of his musings, and blue eyes blinked before fastening themselves on Sasuke's face.

"I'm going to tell my parents after Sakura signs the papers," Sasuke answered and there was a faint tremor in his voice, belying the calm demeanour he was projecting.

"Your father …"

"Is not going to like it one bit," Sasuke finished his sentence curtly and shook his head; his features grim. "He's probably going to kick me out of the family as well. I don't think I'll be able to work in the company after that either."

Naruto gnawed on his lower lip, slipping his hands around to rest on Sasuke's lower back. "Are you sure you want to - "

A thumb came up to release his tortured lip from between his teeth and Naruto's breath caught in his throat at the soft gesture.

"If there's one thing I'm sure about, then it's you and our baby," Sasuke replied softly; his thumb rubbing gently over Naruto's slightly reddened lower lip. "I'm done living a life of lies and hiding who I am from the world. If father can't deal with that, well, it's his loss then."

"Are you going to be okay?" Naruto couldn't help but ask, frowning slightly.

"I'm going to be fine," Sasuke reassured him and smiled faintly. "Weren't you the one who told me before that you're always going to be on my side? That's all I need."

Naruto reddened and he glanced away to hide his embarrassment. "Are you always this sappy after getting laid?"

Sasuke chuckled, but didn't offer a verbal reply. Instead he pinched Naruto's chin between his fingers and turned his head around, catching his mouth in a soft kiss before the blond man could react in any way.

Well, he could work with this. Naruto clasped his hands around Sasuke's neck and kissed back, feeling smooth lips glide against his own.

They stood there kissing for a while; the sun beating down on them with only the faintest breeze to offer them some relief. Two short beeps coming from Sasuke's phone had them pulling apart.

Naruto panted, watching dazedly how Sasuke retrieved his phone from his pocket and read whatever message had just come through. The older man clucked his tongue and slipped the mobile back in his pocket, looking a tad annoyed.

"I really have to go now," he said; reluctance clear as day in his voice.

"Well, I won't hold you up any longer then," Naruto smiled, taking a step back. It was probably for the best that Sasuke left now because their kissing just now had started threading the line of being too indecent for public.

"I'll call you," Sasuke promised and they shared another kiss before he stepped into his car and drove away.

Naruto remained standing there on the footway until the car turned around the corner and disappeared from sight completely.

His baby gave a kick, harsher than normally, and Naruto rubbed his hand soothingly over his belly. "I know, papa is gone," he murmured, gently patting his stomach before turning around to go back into the house. He smiled. "But he'll come back."

He would come back and soon there would be no need for them to part like this anymore.

Despite his heavy belly, he had never felt so light before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Not completely happy with this chapter, but there are only so many times I can rewrite it without becoming too frustrated with it *sighs*
> 
> Not that many chapters left, guys. We're nearing the ending! 
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistake, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter should normally be posted on the twenty-third of February.
> 
> I see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter was more difficult to write than normal ... Which is why I still had to finish it today and why I'm updating this so late *coughs*
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and the kudos! I really appreciate them! I'm especially happy to see that this story passed 700 kudos!
> 
> Warnings: Talk about breastfeeding, but it doesn't happen yet. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 25_

Humming softly, he carefully completed the last line of the shape, making sure to keep his brush steady and light. He withdrew the brush and studied the form intently; his gaze flitting to the paper next to him to check whether it was drawn how it should be.

It was and he straightened up with a satisfied smile, steadying himself with a hand against the wall so that he wouldn't topple over. He'd probably pay for all the crouching he was doing to get to the lowest parts of the picture on the wall, but whatever. That was just a minor inconvenience.

"So you're officially on leave now?" Deidara's voice drifted over from the doorway.

Naruto turned his head and saw the older blond leaning against the doorjamb, one hand placed on top of his large belly. He had a few more weeks to go before he'd deliver his baby; the C-section had been planned for the first week of August.

"Yeah, Sasuke kept nagging me and Jiraiya started ganging up on me too," Naruto sighed, starting on the outline of a tree. "They were driving me mad, so I just gave in." He wrinkled his nose, still not completely happy with it.

On the other hand, his back was starting to kill him and standing the whole day in front of a class wasn't so easy anymore. He also had grown a bit tired of the gossip surrounding his pregnancy. He had remained tight-lipped about it; only Jiraiya knew who the father was. It wasn't like he owed his colleagues and students anything after all. If he wanted to keep quiet about his pregnancy, that was his right.

"Does your godfather know you're keeping the baby, un?" Deidara questioned curiously, drifting closer to him. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips when he took in the half finished picture on the wall. "This is already looking great!"

"Thanks," Naruto smiled, starting on the leaves. "And no, he doesn't know yet. I want to have everything arranged first before telling him."

Sasuke officially divorcing Sakura was one thing that definitely needed to be arranged first, if only to show Jiraiya that Sasuke was serious about them. The older man had already been quite wary of the whole arrangement in the beginning – Naruto didn't dare to imagine how he would react if he informed him he was keeping the baby and was together with Sasuke while the latter was still married.

Jiraiya might be fond of women, but even he drew the line at cheating.

"You mean with Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto nodded, connecting some leaves to branches. The trees were starting to take shape on the wall, covering up most of the left corner.

"Mainly, yeah. I don't think he'll believe Sasuke means it if he's still married," he grimaced.

"Can't really blame him," Deidara hummed, rubbing the right side of his belly. "Any news on that front?"

"No, nothing yet." Naruto frowned; his fingers tightening around the brush. He and Sasuke had been on the phone a couple of times this week and while Sasuke had managed to arrange everything with the lawyer – Naruto still didn't know what exactly 'everything' entailed in this case – he couldn't proceed without Sakura. Last Naruto heard, Sakura was working double shifts at the hospital and asleep whenever she was home.

With every call and each day that passed without Sakura sitting down to talk, Sasuke grew more frustrated. It was in his voice, the way it lowered and grew dark, on the verge of growling sometimes. Sasuke's patience was running out, spread thin with every refusal of Sakura to talk, and it probably wouldn't be long anymore before the youngest Uchiha would snap.

Things would become very ugly then. An irate Sasuke was never fun to deal with – a Sasuke whose patience was utterly depleted was dangerous.

"Naruto-kun?"

Blue eyes blinked and focused again, staring at the wall – where he was practically smashing his brush against. "Shit!" He hastily pulled it back and cursed again when he saw how messed up the bristles looked like now.

"Damn it," he sighed, glowering at the brush.

"Maybe you should take a break for today, un?" Deidara suggested, eyeing him a bit apprehensively.

"No, I'm almost done. Just need a new brush for now," Naruto muttered, dropping the brush in a plastic cup he had pilfered from the kitchen and picking up a new, clean one from another cup. "I told Sasuke I'd get the outline done by today, so that all that's left to do is painting it. He said he should be able to do that this weekend."

"Let's hope he has more talent than Itachi," Deidara said brightly.

"I'll be with him the whole time, so I can stop him before he screws up," the younger blond retorted amused. "Besides, we can't wait too long with painting, because the room needs to be aired out completely by the time the baby gets here."

Deidara hummed in agreement and stepped away, walking to the other side of the room. When Naruto chanced a look backwards, he saw the older man unpacking some baby clothes and placing them in the drawers of the powder blue closet.

For a while they worked in companionable silence: Deidara busied himself with unpacking the last items, which mainly consisted out of several outfits for the baby in a wide array of colours, while Naruto worked on completing the outline of the forest themed drawing the couple had given him.

The sun was high in the sky now that midday was slowly shifting into afternoon. The window was open, but covered by a grass green curtain to block out the sun. The cloth rustled softly whenever a light breeze caressed it. Sounds of children's laughter filtered into the room; there was a group playing on the street with their bikes and their shouting and yelling could be heard regularly as they passed by the house.

Naruto was impressed by the amount of energy they exuded despite the pressing heat of the summer day. His own T-shirt stuck to his sweaty skin and his hair was matted against his forehead, feeling sticky to the touch. He had replaced his jeans with a pair of knee high loose shorts, but that didn't do much to cool him off. The warmth lingering in the room made him somewhat lethargic and he decided that he would take a quick nap after he was finished here – first he'd take a cold shower, though, to cool off at least a little bit.

A while later he drew the last line and took a step back to compare the drawing on the wall with the one on the paper for the last time. It looked like the perfect copy and he grinned, putting the brush in the cup for a moment while he rolled his shoulders to get rid of the tension that had crept up in his muscles there. His arm's muscles had become rather strained after keeping it constantly raised in the air to reach the highest parts of the wall.

When he plucked at the collar of his shirt, his hand grazed his chest and he grimaced at the unpleasant ache this action brought him. He looked down and frowned, releasing his shirt. Lately his chest was bothering him more and more. Until a few weeks ago he had just taken notice of how much more sensitive he had become in that particular area – something which Sasuke had taken note of when he had stayed the night last week.

Now the sensitivity was leaning towards becoming painful. He already had had to change some shirts several times this past week, because the cloth felt too rough and the friction caused unpleasant jolts to shoot through his system. What was even more disturbing was the fact that his pecs had become slightly more pronounced, as if he had taken up bodybuilding and increased his muscle mass like that. His chest was slightly swollen; the difference wasn't that noticeable, definitely not when he was wearing clothes, but he was aware of the subtle difference. The increase of muscle mass – was it muscle mass? Hell, he didn't know; he had never been good at biology – no matter how slight unnerved him and unease lingered in the pit of his stomach.

Did it have any connection with his pregnancy? He couldn't immediately recall having read something in those magazines about this, but back then he had been more focused on the actual becoming pregnant part and not so much the possible 'side-effects'. Looking back at it now, perhaps he should have read the whole thing instead of just picking out the – what was to him back then – relevant parts. Would save him some worry now.

Deidara walked – well, perhaps waddling was a more appropriate term – past him, clearly finished with his own task in the nursery. Naruto peeked at his disappearing form and gnawed down on his lower lip, wondering whether the older man was experiencing the same symptoms. If he was, at least he would be reassured it had something to do with the pregnancy. He couldn't immediately recall whether Deidara's chest had become slightly swollen this past few months, but then again he didn't tend to pay attention to the man's chest and the other man had started to favour loose shirts since he had entered his seventh month.

He should ask, though. If only to settle his restless mind.

On automatic pilot he cleaned his brushes thoroughly, setting them aside to dry. He left the window open in the nursery and cracked the one in his room open as well in the vague hope of getting some cool air in the warm, stuffy room.

Forgoing the shower for the moment, he made his way downstairs where he could hear Deidara puttering around. He stepped into the kitchen, which felt blessedly cool thanks to the fan humming and slowly turning back and forth next to the table, and spotted Deidara at the kitchen counter, cutting up some bananas and throwing them in a large bowl.

Making a fruit salad, Naruto presumed when he caught sight of the chopped pieces of apple and orange in the bowl.

Deidara glanced at him before turning his attention back to the cutting board. "You're finished, un?"

"Yeah, outline's completely done," Naruto replied, dragging a chair back to sit down. "Only needs to be painted and then it'll be finished."

"It already looks great, un. I can't wait to see how it'll look like coloured," Deidara said grinning. He lifted up the cutting board and tilted it towards the bowl, using his knife to scrape the banana pieces into it.

Naruto stared at his back, hesitating and drumming his fingers on the table. Should he ask? It sounded so embarrassing, but … How else was he supposed to know whether this new development was normal or not? Deidara was the only pregnant man he knew; it wasn't like he could ask anyone else.

Well, he supposed there was always Tsunade, of course, but that was more like a last resort. He could already hear her scolding him for not informing himself completely and he winced, rubbing the back of his neck.

With a sigh, he leant back in his chair and said, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, ask away," Deidara muttered and shrugged. He started cutting red grapes in two to add to the fruit salad.

"Eh, do you also have …" Naruto trailed off, licking his lips as he tried to figure out how to ask this without sounding like an idiot. He startled when a firm kick was aimed at his kidney and he rubbed soothingly over his stomach, feeling the baby shifting and fussing around.

"Do I have what?"

"Does your chest feel sore too?" Naruto blurted out at once and promptly went red when Deidara turned around surprised. With a groan he hid his face behind his hands. "That was not how I intended to ask it," he said, his voice muffled behind his skin.

"How were you going to ask that?" Deidara chuckled, sounding too amused at Naruto's expense.

"I don't know," Naruto whined, lowering his hands and scowling at him. "Just – not like that." He pursed his lips and squinted at the older man. "So? Does it?" Might as well go through with it, now that he had blurted it out like that.

Deidara shrugged, looking unconcerned. He placed the knife on the cutting board and crossed his arms, facing the younger blond again. "Sure, it does. It's normal, un," he said calmly.

"It is?" Naruto asked surprised.

His friend eyed him curiously. "You didn't know, un?"

"Well, it only started being this sensitive recently, so I didn't spend much attention to it," Naruto defended himself petulantly. "Is this because of the pregnancy?"

Cobalt blue eyes narrowed and Deidara leant forwards. "I thought you had read all information?"

Naruto glanced away, feeling oddly guilty underneath the penetrating gaze. "Eh, I was, you know, mostly focused on the actual getting pregnant part, so I didn't pay much attention to anything else," he muttered, scratching his cheek.

"Naruto-kun," Deidara chided and Naruto pouted, but remained silent. He sighed and sat down in the chair next to him. "The soreness you feel is an indication that your body is preparing the milk supply. That usually happens around the eight month for us men."

Naruto's head shot up and he stared at the other man. "Milk supply?" he repeated dumbly. As in …

"To breastfeed the baby, un," Deidara said frankly, crossing his arms on top of his belly.

"What," Naruto said blankly. Had he misheard him? Surely there was no way he as a man could actually …

"You really didn't read everything, huh?" Deidara shook his head disapprovingly and clucked his tongue. "We're capable of carrying a baby to term – why would it shock you to hear that we're capable of breastfeeding too?"

"Because we're men!" Naruto squeaked, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"Yes, and we all start off as female in the womb; why do you think men have nipples as well?" Deidara rolled his eyes, putting his chin on his fist and resting his elbow on the table. "In theory all men can breastfeed, you know, because the basic 'equipment'," he air quoted, "is there. The only difference is that men with the gene are able to produce enough of the hormone that's needed to be able to breastfeed. Our bodies generally start producing that hormone around the eight month; at least ours does. Don't know whether it's the same for women, un. Your chest's feeling sore now, because your body is preparing to breastfeed the baby."

"Oh." Naruto stared down at his chest and barely resisted the urge to poke it. So he was going to produce milk to feed the baby? To be honest, he had never wondered whether he would be able to breastfeed. He had just assumed that they would need to bottle feed the baby. The thought of being able to breastfeed their baby had never even crossed his mind.

Would that be weird?

Peeking through his eyelashes at the older man, he questioned, "Are you going to breastfeed?"

"Yeah, if I produce enough milk," Deidara nodded; a faint smile playing around his lips. His fingers were tracing circles on top of his belly.

Cerulean blue eyes looked back down at his chest and a sudden thought had him shooting his head up in alarm. "But I'm not going to grow big breasts, right?" he asked panicked; his eyes growing wide as saucers at the idea alone. Sure, he loved carrying a baby, knowing it was something he made with Sasuke, but he drew the line at actually gaining boobs!

Deidara stared at him like he was an idiot. "Do I look like I have a B cup, un?" he sneered.

"Well, no, but you're wearing loose clothes," Naruto sputtered; his cheeks felt like they were on fire now.

Deidara scoffed and rolled his eyes in exasperation. "No, you're not going to grow big breasts," he said, sounding a bit too condescending for Naruto's liking. "They just get a bit swollen, but that's it, un."

"It's a valid concern!" Naruto protested, scowling at his friend.

"Well, you can relax, un," he drawled. "You don't have to worry about wearing bras." He paused and gave the younger man a contemplative look. "Unless you and Sasuke-kun are into that, of course."

"Deidara-kun!" Yes, Naruto's face was definitely as red as a tomato now and he definitely felt like he was on fire as embarrassment filled him.

The older blond raised his hands in the air placatingly. "No judging here, un," he reassured him; his eyes dancing with laughter. He rose up from the chair and turned back to the counter. "Are you going to breastfeed?"

"Thinking about it," Naruto murmured, rubbing his stomach contemplatively. Would Sasuke think it was weird if he did breastfeed their child? Did the dark haired man even know Naruto was capable of doing that? Or was he just as in the dark as Naruto had been until now?

Deidara nodded and threw the last grapes into the bowl. "Want to share some fruit salad with me, un? We can pair it with ice cream."

"Sounds great," Naruto grinned and stood up to collect the ice cream from the freezer.

He'd discuss breastfeeding with Sasuke later, he decided. For now ice cream and fruit demanded his attention.

* * *

"I was thinking we could start house hunting tomorrow," Sasuke said abruptly.

Naruto reeled back, confused at the sudden change in topic. They had been discussing the latest stupid move Suigetsu had pulled while Naruto had been working up the nerve to talk about breastfeeding. Well, he had been working up the nerve while simultaneously wondering whether that was a topic he should approach when they were not on the phone with each other, but face to face rather. That seemed like one of those subjects that was better off being handled when there wasn't a device acting as a medium between the two of them.

Sasuke was still at work, actually, judging by the occasional sounds of a keyboard being used and papers rustling in the background, but he clearly needed to let off some steam by talking with Naruto. There was still a hint of irritation underlying his voice, but Naruto hadn't figured out yet whether the irritation had been caused by his work or by Sakura. Both were equally likely.

Sasuke's request about house hunting came completely out of the blue.

"House hunting?" Naruto repeated stumped, crossing his legs and sitting up straight on his bed. He had just woken up from a nap after having demolished nearly a quarter of the ice cream tub and the bedsheets were rumpled near the foot end of the bed.

"Yeah, you're due in October, so we can't push off finding a new place to live for much longer," Sasuke stated frankly. "Don't you want to live together?"

"Of course I do!" Naruto exclaimed; his heart starting to beat faster. "It's just …" He hesitated, not knowing whether it would be smart to continue that sentence.

"It's just what?"

"I thought you would want to – wait until the papers are signed," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head, feeling uncomfortable at the reminder that Sasuke was still officially married to Sakura – even if the man had stopped thinking of her as his wife.

Sasuke sighed loudly into the phone and there was a pause in which the typing on the keyboard grew harsher, as if he was working out his frustration on it. "I'm done waiting until she finally stops avoiding me. I'm sick of having to put my life on hold, just because she refuses to acknowledge the truth."

"People might see us and go snitch to her," Naruto said quietly. He knew one of the Hyuuga worked in real estate and the agency was close to Tenten's dojo. While not particularly close friends, Tenten would probably become curious if she saw Sasuke and Naruto entering a real estate agency together. Curious enough that she might even mention it to Sakura.

"Then they go snitch," Sasuke said dismissively and snorted harshly. "Maybe that might get her to sit down finally. I really don't care anymore, Naruto."

"Apparently," Naruto murmured, dropping his hand to rest on his stomach. There was still the slight unease and guilt about Sakura, but he couldn't deny that he was becoming excited as well at the prospect of going to look at houses together with Sasuke.

They were getting closer each day to a life together and Naruto couldn't wait until the day arrived that he and Sasuke could be officially together without Sasuke's marriage looming over them like a dark shadow.

"So, what do you think? Feeling up to house hunting tomorrow?" Sasuke's voice broke through his musings, purposefully light-hearted.

Naruto smiled, pressing his thumb against the foot nudging him. "I can't wait," he replied honestly.

"It's a date then," Sasuke declared and Naruto could easily picture the smirk on his face.

"It's a date," Naruto agreed; his smile widening into a giddy grin, his hand cradling the phone against his ear.

He couldn't imagine a better start of the weekend than looking at houses and bickering over them with Sasuke. It was going to be an amazing day, he just knew it!

* * *

Hiding a yawn behind his hand, half lidded blue eyes stared blankly at his glass of orange juice. He was slouched over the kitchen table – well, as much as his belly allowed for slouching anyway – having just finished his breakfast.

Itachi and Deidara had left around half an hour ago to do some grocery shopping and get the last tins of paint so that Sasuke could start painting. They were still missing some shades of green and Naruto had written down the names of the right colours so that the couple knew which ones to buy.

He himself was waiting for Sasuke to arrive, so that they could drive to the real estate agency. The baby had been rather merciful during the night, so Naruto had been able to sleep rather well, but he still felt a bit tired and he started wondering whether he should risk going back to bed to doze a bit.

He yawned again and sat up, stretching his arms.

A yelp was torn out of him when the doorbell suddenly rang sharply, echoing through the house. That must be Sasuke then, judging at how late it was.

He walked quickly to the door, opening it with a grin. "Hey, you're ready to …" The rest of his sentence was swallowed back when his brain registered who was standing in front of him.

It wasn't Sasuke. Far from it.

It was _Sakura_. Sakura, who was clutching her arms around her waist, and whose green eyes were red rimmed when she raised her head and stared at him. She had been crying; her nose still cherry red even when the rest of her face was pale as if she had seen a ghost.

Shocked he stared at her and reached out with his hand. "Sakura-chan? What happened? Why did you - " He recoiled at the sudden venomous look she shot at him, the way her face contorted with fury.

She clenched her fists and hissed out, "It's you, isn't it?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"You're the one who's fucking _my_ Sasuke-kun behind my back, aren't you?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Yes, I did end it at that place. Felt like being a little bit evil I suppose LOL
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter should normally appear on the ninth of March. We're slowly inching closer to the ending, so prepare for some drama :)
> 
> See you all back in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: The confrontation you may or may not have been waiting for LOL
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: Drama; some foul language
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 26_

His mouth felt instantly dry. "What?" was the only thing that left his lips as he stared wide eyed at the furious, pink haired woman in front of him. He had never seen her so pissed off before and something in him twisted.

How much had Sasuke told her? What exactly did she know? Had he told her everything or had she just become scarily good at guessing?

"Don't act like you don't know anything!" she sneered, jabbing him in his chest.

She had always been ridiculously strong, but given how sensitive his chest felt now, her jabbing hurt worse than usual and he hissed, stumbling back to keep out of her reach.

Bad mistake.

She stormed into the house, slamming the door shut behind her with such a force, Naruto thought he could hear the windows in the living room rattle. Instantly he moved into that room, hoping to put as much distance between them as possible. Sure, he had dealt with her punches before, but if she punched him now in the enraged state she was in, that could end up having nasty consequences for either him or the baby.

"If you insist on acting dumb, let me tell you what happened," she snarled, clenching her hands into fists. She kept standing near the doorway, keeping the coffee table between them. "Sasuke-kun woke me up today and told me he wanted to get a divorce! Apparently he fell in love with someone else and wants to stay with them!"

Despite the thick tension in the air, his heart skipped a beat at hearing those words. He couldn't revel in it, though. Things had already gone beyond inappropriate between him and Sasuke; he couldn't rub it in her face that Sasuke had fallen in love with him and honestly he didn't want to either.

Because he could easily imagine how hurt she must be right now. How much pain she must be experiencing to hear that the person she loved wanted to be with someone else. That was how he had felt when his friends had announced they would be getting married. Now the roles were reversed, but faced with Sakura's tear stricken face, he couldn't be happy about that. Even if Sasuke had never loved her like that, it was more than clear that Sakura hadn't considered their marriage to be one of convenience. Despite Sasuke's warning that he would never love her like that, she probably had never stopped hoping that one day he would return her feelings.

"Did he say who?" He flinched when the rage in green eyes grew and swallowed, realising how stupid that question had been. Yet he still didn't want to say anything discriminating, in case Sasuke had kept them a secret.

"No, he didn't," she said through clenched teeth; her form slightly trembling. "Said it wasn't any of my _business_ ," she spat disgusted.

That didn't sound like Sasuke, but Naruto remembered how frustrated the older man had become with Sakura's evasiveness and he wondered whether that had played a part in his dismissive, rude reply.

"Why do you think - "

"Do you think I'm stupid?" she said, practically hissing the words. "I started thinking about it, trying to figure it out. Who could it be that would make Sasuke choose them over me? He has never mentioned a divorce before, but now all of a sudden, he can't get me to sign the papers fast enough! And then I realised it. Everything started a few months after you got pregnant."

Her voice grew more quiet, but it didn't diminish the venom lacing her tone at all. If anything, it became more obvious, more dangerous. "He suddenly didn't want to sleep with me anymore, no matter what I tried. I didn't pay much attention to it at first, because he's been busy with work, you know?" She laughed bitterly and shook her head. Her hands hung listlessly at her sides, no longer clenched into fists.

Naruto remained quiet, but alert, keeping his attention both on her face and her hands. It stung that he had to treat her as if she was suddenly dangerous, as if she hadn't been his friend for years, but in the mood she was in now … Who knew what she would do?

_Fuck, what was keeping Sasuke?_ Shouldn't he already be here by now?

"But then he started to kiss me less and less until I was the only one taking the initiative and I have barely seen him these last couple of months."

He had to bite down on his tongue in order not to point out that she had been gone from her home quite a lot as well according to Sasuke. He had his stupid moments, but even he wasn't stupid enough to say that aloud.

"He kept saying that he was spending time with his brother, but his phone bills were mostly filled with your number and really, what the hell can you talk about for three hours long?" she laughed again, but this time her voice took on a hysterical edge and she pulled roughly on her pink hair.

"I didn't want to admit it at first, but it's you, isn't it? You're the fucking whore who took him away from me!" Sakura yelled, slamming her fist against the wall. "What, it's not enough that you get to carry his baby, but now you want him too?!"

The plaster cracked and the bookcase filled with some trinkets from Deidara's family rattled dangerously.

"I'm not a whore, Sakura," Naruto said tersely, still trying to remain as calm as possible. His baby was fussing a lot in his stomach, despite the growing lack of space, clearly becoming as agitated as he was. "And I didn't take him away from you."

"Oh no? Then what the fuck do you - "

"He came to me," he said loudly and perhaps that wasn't the smartest thing to say, but he wasn't going to stand there and let himself be accused. He hadn't actively sought out Sasuke in that manner, hadn't tried to seduce him. Yes, he had been in love with him for years, but he had never acted on it, had never tried to come between his friends like that. It had been Sasuke who had broken the status quo; Sasuke, who had decided to take a step further.

Should Naruto have stopped him? If he had been a good friend: yes, he should have. But he had been weak and now, although it shamed him to admit it, now he was glad he hadn't stopped him.

Still, in the end, it had been Sasuke who had taken the first step, not him.

She snorted harshly. "The only reason he would come to you is because you're carrying his baby now," she said snidely, pointing at his belly.

Almost instinctively he covered his stomach with his hands as if he could protect it from her glare.

"You think that if you weren't pregnant, he would take a second look at you? You think you're getting your happy ending now? Newsflash, Naruto! You were a loser as a kid and you're still a loser now!" she sneered viciously. "Look at yourself! You're just barely making minimum wage and can't even afford a fucking apartment on your own! You think you're the right one for Sasuke-kun? The only reason you ever became friends with him was because he took pity on you! Because he was embarrassed at the way you kept trying to get his attention!"

"Shut up, Sakura!" Naruto growled, balling his hands into fists in front of his stomach. He knew what she was saying wasn't right. Sasuke would never be swayed by pity and he would never have befriended Naruto if he didn't want to, but that didn't make her nasty remarks hurt any less. A part of him, hidden deep inside him, would always be that little boy starved for attention, afraid that any shred of positive attention and affection was just a lie, a trick meant to hurt him.

Sakura knew that. She had known him almost as long as Sasuke had and knew where to hit to make it hurt. She wouldn't hold back at all now. She was hurt, so Naruto as the cause of her pain had to hurt as well.

"What, did I hit a nerve?" Sakura smiled sweetly, but her eyes were spitting fire. "Sasuke-kun is just confused now because of the baby. He's not gay, not like you! He married me!"

"He only married you because that bastard Fugaku didn't give him any choice!" Naruto hissed, taking a step closer. "You were the one always trying to get a date with him while he was never interested! He only married you as a last resort. If he didn't have to marry a girl, you would never have had a chance!"

She paled and his comment had clearly hit a sore spot, but she clenched her jaw visibly and said icily, "Think what you want, but he's happy with me. He's happy with the life he has! You think you can make him this happy? He's mine, so back off and stop trying to steal him!"

"If he really was that happy, he would never have fallen in love with me," Naruto snapped and a part of him took some vicious pleasure in the way that made her flinch. "And if you think that Sasuke is really happy, then you don't know him at all. But then again, you've never been there for him when he had it rough, so how would you know how he looks like happy?"

He scoffed and shook his head incredulously. "At least I don't consider him an object to be _stolen_. He makes his own decisions; I'm not forcing him – unlike other people. Get that through your head, Sakura."

She reeled back as if she had been slapped, but she quickly pulled herself together again and scoffed, crossing her arms. "Enjoy it while it lasts. As soon as the baby is born and we're taking care of him, he won't even take a second look at you." Her upper lip curled up derisively. "He'll be back with me, where he belongs, and you're going to be all alone again."

He stared at her, taking in her hostile stance and the way her face was distorted with both fury and triumph – as if she had won something. He knew she could be fairly nasty – she definitely hadn't liked him in the beginning until she got to know him, but he had never really experienced her nasty side before.

Because until now he had been deemed 'safe' in her eyes. She had never felt threatened by him, not even when he came out, until now that was. Now that she was losing Sasuke – losing him to someone who had been considered the class clown, the loser who had trouble keeping up with the material, the weirdo without any parents – he had shifted in her mind from safe and harmless to a big threat.

A threat had to be eliminated and she was throwing every barb she could think of at him, digging at the sore spots she knew were still there, even after all these years. Trying to hit him where it hurt the most.

It made him realise that perhaps he hadn't really known her after all either. Even if she apologised for her outburst and got used to the fact that Sasuke no longer wanted her as his wife – he didn't know whether he could ever forgive her for using what she knew about him against him. He understood she was angry and hurt; he would be too if he was in her shoes, but he would never use the secrets, her insecurities she had confided in him against her.

There was a line you just didn't cross even when you got furious with your friend and she had hurtled straight past that.

The anger drained away from him and was replaced by a feeling of exhaustion. What was the point of this fight? She knew the truth now; fighting with him about it wouldn't change anything. Sasuke had made his choice, Naruto had made his and they would have to deal with it. _She_ would have to learn how to cope with the idea that Sasuke had never returned her feelings – not like she wanted.

What she also would have to deal with – and for this Naruto was truly sorry, because he knew how much she had been looking forward to it – was the fact that Naruto wouldn't give up his baby.

"What? Cat got your tongue? You're starting to realise that you're fighting a hopeless - "

"I'm not giving up my baby, Sakura."

She froze; her eyes widening with shock. Hurt flashed up in her red rimmed eyes before it disappeared and was replaced by cold anger. "What?! You fucking promised me! That baby is mine and Sasuke-kun's, not yours!"

He shook his head, closing his arms around his stomach. There was still guilt simmering in the pit of his belly, but bigger than the guilt, the shame that he was breaking a promise, was the pain stabbing him in his heart at the thought of giving up his baby, his little boy. The thought of having to say goodbye to his baby boy as soon as he was born had his chest constricting, making it difficult for him to breathe easily. He couldn't do it. He had thought he could, back when he had been still so bloody naïve, but reality had slapped him in his face. There was no way he could give up his child, not even to save a friendship.

"No, he's mine and Sasuke's. I'm really sorry, but I can't give him up. I just can't - "

She screamed, a sound so full of unadulterated fury that it caused Naruto to stumble back wide-eyed, watching dumbfounded how she raised her fist and stormed towards him.

Before she could take more than a couple of steps towards him, though, her arm was snatched out of the air with such a force that it had her crying out and stumbling backwards.

"What the hell is going on here?" Itachi snapped, turning her roughly around before pushing her against the wall. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Deidara squeezed his way past his fiancé without looking at her and went over to Naruto. "You're okay, un?" he asked concerned; his sky blue eyes flitting over Naruto's body as if he was trying to discern whether he had been hurt.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm fine," he muttered.

As fine as he could be with the knowledge that he had lost one of his friends today. He had been so fucking naïve to think that everything would work out somehow. Of course there had never been a way in which he both could keep Sasuke as his boyfriend and Sakura as his friend. He had been so stupid.

His baby kicked him firmly in his kidney and he winced, caressing his stomach soothingly. It would probably take quite a while before his baby boy would settle down after what had just happened.

"Why are you here?" Itachi demanded in a low voice.

Naruto glanced at him, ignoring Deidara's fussy clucking for now, and almost physically recoiled from the utter coldness blanketing Itachi's face. It was as if his features were carved out of ice, sharp enough to cut anything. He was still holding Sakura's wrist and Naruto could see her skin turning a pure white with how tight his grip was.

A soft whimper of pain left Sakura and tears starting glittering in her eyes again; all the anger seemingly leaving her. "Sasuke-kun told me he wants a divorce."

Itachi blinked and released her wrist, taking a step back. Only now did Naruto see he was holding his sunglasses in his other hand. "Oh, did he finally manage to talk to you about it?"

Her mouth dropped open before she narrowed her eyes. "You knew about this?!"

"I'm his brother." Only an Uchiha could sound so utterly condescending. He looked at her as if she was nothing more than a stupid bug. "Of course he told me about it."

She pointed aggressively at Naruto. "Then did he tell you he's fucking that slu- "

"Unless you want to experience something unpleasant, I suggest you don't finish that sentence," Itachi stated flatly.

He had turned his back towards Naruto, facing the pink haired woman, so the blond couldn't see what kind of look he was sporting now, but whatever it was, it was bad enough to make Sakura stiffen and pale; all colour leaving her face. Still, she tried to protest.

"He can't just - "

"He can. My brother made his choice and you'd do well to respect that. There's nothing here for you anymore, Haruno," Itachi said coolly and nodded towards the door. "Please leave."

Some tears trickled down her cheeks before she scrubbed them away roughly, pushing herself off the wall. "Fine," she said thickly before lifting her head and glaring at Naruto. "You're going to regret this," she swore, her eyes flashing with the promise, before she whirled around and left, slamming the front door behind her.

* * *

Itachi released his breath slowly and turned around, pursing his lips. "Did Sasuke mention to you that he would break the news to her today?"

Naruto shook his head and plopped down onto the couch. "No, he didn't say anything about it yesterday. But Sakura did mention he woke her up to inform her about the divorce, so I guess he was finally fed up with it," he said flatly, slumping against the back of the couch.

"Well, his patience was running out," Itachi admitted, placing his sunglasses on the coffee table. "It probably wasn't the smartest idea to open the door for her, though."

"I didn't know she was coming," Naruto retorted and scowled at him. "Sasuke didn't even tell her it's me."

"Then how did she come to that conclusion?" Deidara asked curiously, sinking down next to him. He had forgone his usual ponytail for a messy bun this time to combat the rising heat outside.

"By connecting clues apparently," he replied wryly.

"I know you live in a safe neighbourhood, but that doesn't mean you should just leave your door open like that," Sasuke's voice suddenly floated into the living room. A couple of seconds later he appeared in the doorway, dressed casually in a dark blue T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. His own sunglasses were resting on top of his head. Dark eyes shifted from Itachi to Naruto and he took a double take. In an instant he was standing in front of him, frowning heavily.

"What happened? Are you feeling unwell? You don't look so good."

"Always the flatterer," Naruto muttered, but couldn't find the energy to smile.

"Your future ex-wife happened."

"What the fuck?"

* * *

"If I had known she would confront you, I would have gone straight after her," Sasuke said darkly; his forehead set in that heavy frown again he had also sported when he had been informed of what Sakura had said.

"It's not like you could have known. She usually goes to her parents to vent anyway," Naruto pointed out mildly, running his fingers through black strands again and again.

They were holed up in his room after having had dinner together with Deidara and Itachi. Sasuke had spent part of the afternoon painting the nursery, unleashing his frustration and anger at Sakura on the wall; his hands still carried flecks of blue and green paint.

Sasuke had wanted to go straight after Sakura after he had been told of the things she had said – and tried to do. He had looked so angry that for a moment Naruto had genuinely believed they wouldn't be able to hold him back, but they had managed to talk some sense into him in the end and calm him down. He had been in a foul mood for hours afterwards, though.

After he had informed Sakura he wanted to divorce, he had collected his stuff around the house and packed his bags, not intending to go back to the house after today. That was why he had been later than the hour they had agreed upon and why he hadn't encountered Sakura at the house.

Initially he had planned on renting a hotel room while he and Naruto searched for a house, but both Itachi and Deidara had been adamant that he stayed here, at their house, in the meantime. His bags were currently stashed away in the attic; some of his clothes put next to Naruto's in the wardrobe.

They were resting on the bed; the thin cotton of their underwear the only piece of clothing separating them from being completely naked. Sasuke had his head low on Naruto's chest, their legs entwined, and his hand rubbed circles across Naruto's belly. The window was ajar in the hope a breeze would enter. So far all that entered the room was the sound of children playing on the street.

"Still," Sasuke muttered; his hand stilling on top of Naruto's stomach. "I should have realised she would connect the dots. She isn't that stupid."

Naruto remained silent, focusing on the sensation of silky hair gliding between his fingers as the digits brushed through dark hair.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke said lowly. "I know how much you liked her."

Naruto shrugged and smiled weakly. "It was naïve of me to think she would be okay with us. Guess I should have seen her reaction coming," he murmured.

"That doesn't make her reaction okay," Sasuke said, squeezing Naruto's hip.

"No, but I can understand where she's coming from," the blond man admitted. "It just … sucks."

That was probably the understatement of the year.

Sasuke rose up, making Naruto drop his hand. Dark eyes stared at blue ones intently. "Do you regret it?"

Naruto studied the man in front of him. The way his hair shone black and blue in the low setting sun; how pale his skin was despite spending time outside. His sharp cheekbones and light pink lips. Black eyes glinting with intensity.

Blue eyes went lower, taking in a muscled, lean chest; a firm, flat stomach with a dark happy trail disappearing underneath his underwear. To strong arms, bracing Naruto's body between them.

To the finger no longer bearing a wedding ring.

Here was the man, his best friend, his lover, who was willing to turn his whole life upside down, who was going to go against his father – something he had never attempted to do before. Who risked losing his job at his father's company and all the progress he had made into securing the top spot.

Someone who had acknowledged him long before anyone else did, who had accepted him since the start and who had always been there for him.

Who filled the part in Naruto's life he hadn't realised was missing.

How could he ever regret him?

He couldn't.

"No, not one second of this," he said, his voice ringing with truth.

If there had been any doubt left, it would have been completely erased by the beautiful smile blooming up on Sasuke's face.

Their lips met in a tender kiss and while neither of them would say it aloud – not yet at least – there was no mistaken what they felt for each other.

_Love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Little bit of fluff there at the end to make up for the drama *coughs* The story is still not done yet, though, so brace yourselves ;)
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> I hope to see you all back in the next chapter, which will normally be posted on the 23rd of March!
> 
> Throughout this month I'll also be posting a couple of Naruto oneshots, for the ones interested :) 
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: For some reason this chapter utterly refused to cooperate with me. I had the scenes in my head, but actually putting them on paper proved to be quite the struggle and I had to finish it today *sighs* Sorry if it isn't as good as you expected *winces*
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and the kudos!
> 
> Warnings: nothing in particular as far as I'm aware
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 27_

"You already found a place?" Gaara asked surprised.

Naruto tried to sink lower in his seat and hissed when the leather stuck to his legs, refusing to let go of him. With an annoyed huff he reached down with his hand and pulled on the small lever his fingers encountered right underneath the seat, forcing the back to lower down a bit.

"Naruto?"

"Hm? Yeah, sorry, I'm adjusting this stupid seat. Leather's all good and nice, but it's stuck to my legs. Feels like I'm ripping my skin off if I move," he complained and leant back, relaxing now that his stomach had a bit more room.

"What? Where are you now?" Gaara questioned perplexed.

"In Sasuke's car, waiting for him."

"Why are you waiting for him there?"

"He's at his parents' house, telling them about us."

Silence fell between them and Naruto nibbled on his lower lip, fiddling with his shirt. He was wearing one of the loosest shirts he owned and a pair of light blue shorts with an elastic waistband and yet he still felt uncomfortable with his big belly and the pressing heat outside. The car had been parked underneath the shadow of a large tree at the end of the street and while the shadows offered some relief, the air still felt cloying and just plain annoying. He plucked at his shirt, pulling it away from his sweat slicked skin before letting it fall back.

Once they were back home, he was just going to lie on his bed without clothes on and revel in the breeze their recently purchased large fan delivered in spades. It was too hot to do anything else. He could finish his painting at a later time, when it was cooler outside and he didn't feel like he would melt right out of his skin.

"I had thought Haruno would have tattled to them by now. It's been – what? Two weeks?" Gaara broke the silence and though he scoffed, there was also a note of apprehension underlying his voice.

"Seems like she didn't," Naruto muttered, resting his hand on his belly. His eyes shifted to the road where a couple of brave doves were walking along the footway, picking at some crumbs. The door on his side was open in a futile attempt to capture some breeze; the birds didn't even stir when he stretched out his legs and his seat groaned underneath him.

"If she had, I'm pretty sure Fugaku would have called," he continued flatly.

After her declaration to take revenge, they hadn't heard of her again. While Naruto wasn't entirely certain that she had just been bluffing, neither would he let himself be constant on guard. If she did try to do something, well, they would deal with that then. There was no point in worrying about whatever she could be planning.

It still hurt to have lost her friendship like that, but well, who had he been fooling, really? He should have realised she would never take their new relationship lightly. What was done, was done, though, and there was no going back.

To be honest he didn't want to go back if that meant he would lose Sasuke.

"But now he's telling his parents about you?"

"Yeah, and about the baby – that we're keeping him," Naruto confirmed, rubbing circles with his thumb around his popped out bellybutton. His baby was fussing a bit inside him, but he couldn't really move around as much as before.

"How come you're waiting in the car? I thought you'd be there too."

"I wanted to," Naruto admitted with a sigh. Pursing his lips, he said, "But Sasuke said it would be better if I stayed in the car, because he doesn't know how Fugaku's going to react."

He'd rather be with Sasuke right now, supporting him, but perhaps it was for the best if he remained here. Fugaku had never been an easy man and once he heard that his second son – the son he had fixed all his hopes up – was in love with a man as well and was divorcing his wife for him …

Naruto swallowed and brushed the back of his hand against his forehead. He really wanted to be optimistic and say that Fugaku wouldn't react badly, but the man didn't exactly have a stellar record when it came to a subject like this.

"Given what I've heard of that man, it's probably for the best if you stay away from him," Gaara said. "You're not exactly in a state to become caught in the crossfire between them."

"I'm not some delicate flower, Gaara," Naruto retorted irritated.

"No, but you are pregnant and in a more vulnerable state than Uchiha is," Gaara replicated calmly. "You got lucky with Haruno, but if I were you, I wouldn't test that luck twice."

The blond man scowled, hating that he couldn't give a counter argument. It was true: if Itachi hadn't been there, things might have turned really ugly between him and Sakura. He still had trouble believing that she had really been about to punch him. Testing his luck twice would not be a wise move.

"Yeah, I know," he muttered and sighed again. "I just want to be there for him, you know?"

"If he doesn't know by now that you have his back, then he's an idiot," Gaara said dryly. "He knows, trust me."

"Yeah, all right," Naruto smiled weakly and leant back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure, you want to talk about your new place?" Gaara suggested easily.

"It's on the outskirts of the town, a couple of blocks down Deidara-kun's and Itachi's home," Naruto began; his smile turning more genuine. "The garden ends in a small forest and is big enough to create a vegetable patch. There's five bedrooms, but we're thinking of turning one into a study for Sasuke and I can use another room for my artwork. There's even an attic! And you should see the kitchen – I didn't even know they made them that spacious!"

"Sounds like you're really happy about the place," Gaara chuckled. "Did you already place a bid?"

"Yeah, last Monday," Naruto answered, resting his hand on top of his belly. "The other potential buyer backed out, so the house is ours now. If we want to, we can move in next week."

He still couldn't quite believe that that spacious house was theirs now. Walking through those rooms while the real estate agent kept summing up the benefits of the place had been like a dream. For almost his entire life he had to be content with living in a small space. Staying over at Itachi's house had been the first time he had experienced what living in a large house actually felt like. Still, in the back of his mind there had always been that thought that his new living arrangement was only temporary until he had saved enough money to rent a place of his own. While he considered the house to be home, he had never allowed himself to really settle in. Him living there was never meant to be permanent.

Back then he had thought he would go back to renting an apartment; live his life boxed in yet again.

No longer would he ever live in a small box. He and Sasuke would have a large house to themselves; rooms so spacious, so large, it made him wonder how they would ever fill it up completely.

They had visited other houses on sale, but the moment Naruto had stepped inside the one near the forest … He had _known_. That house was perfect; one he could easily envision living in, being a family with Sasuke, raising their child there …

The house was made out of dreams Naruto hadn't even realised he had. And it would soon be _theirs_.

"Well, when you know when you'll move in, give me a call and I'll help," Gaara offered.

"You don't have to, Gaara."

"Yes, I do. I helped you move out, I help you move in too."

"I feel like there's some other reason why you …" Movement in the side mirror had him breaking off his sentence. Sasuke was walking to the car – and he didn't look particular relieved or happy.

Wincing, Naruto pulled the door shut and sat up straighter. "Sorry, Gaara, but I have to call you back. Sasuke's on his way and he doesn't look really happy."

"All right, call me when you have the time. Bye, Naruto."

He shoved his phone into his pocket at the same time the door of the driver's side was pulled open roughly and Sasuke slid behind the wheel, slamming the door shut, causing the car to tremble a bit. He placed his hands on top of the steering wheel and stared blankly in front of him, making no move to start the car.

After a moment of hesitation and tense silence, Naruto twisted around in his seat as much as possible. "How did it go?" he asked softly.

A bitter chuckle escaped the dark haired man and he dropped his head against the headrest, staring up at the ceiling. "As well as could be expected," he answered darkly. "He was not happy at all, I can assure you that. Imagine that: both his sons are complete disappointments."

"What did he say?"

"What did he not say?" Sasuke retorted wearily, dragging a hand over his face. "He let me know what an utter screw up I am, that he should have known better than to think I would make him proud and that if I want to follow my brother's footsteps that much, I'm no longer welcome in his house or his company. Oh, and how completely disgusted he is right now."

"Sasuke …" Naruto felt helpless, uncertain what to say or do that would make the other man feel better. He had anticipated Fugaku reacting badly – especially after already having thrown out Itachi – but a small part of him had still hoped that the man would have softened up throughout the years, that he wouldn't kick out his youngest son as well.

Clearly Fugaku would never change. No matter what Sasuke did, no matter how successful he would be in life – none of that mattered anymore, now that Fugaku knew his youngest son was also in love with a man.

"I'm sorry," he said miserably. He couldn't help but feel guilty now. He knew it wasn't really his fault – neither he nor Sasuke could help falling in love with each other and it had been Sasuke's decision to inform his parents about the truth. It wasn't his fault that Fugaku was an utter and complete douchebag, but still …

Knowing how hard Sasuke had worked to gain his father's acknowledgment, he couldn't help but think it was partly his fault that all of Sasuke's hard work was now flushed through the drain.

"Don't be," Sasuke smiled wanly. "You've got nothing to feel sorry about."

"Still, I know how hard you worked for him," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Sasuke surprised him by gripping his hand tightly. "I knew the risks, Naruto. I understood what I stood to lose if I came out to him," he replied and sighed. "I'm done living a lie. Everything's out in the open now; he has made his decision, I made mine and I'm fine with that. At least he's giving me a day to pick up my stuff at the office. That's more than I thought he would give me," he snorted.

"It's not right that he kicked you out and fired you just because you're together with me now," Naruto snapped frustrated; his fingers clenching around Sasuke's.

"No, but it is what it is now and I can't go back." He huffed. "At least I won't have to hear him demeaning you ever again after today. Don't know who he blames more for this, to be honest: you or me."

"What? Did he blame me for turning you gay?" Naruto rolled his eyes. It wouldn't surprise him if the older man was blaming him for that; he had never liked him and his youngest son coming out as well probably served as even more fuel for his loathing.

"Hm, not in those words, though he did call you a gold-digger."

Naruto's mouth dropped open, taken aback by the unexpected answer. "What? Since when am I a gold-digger?!" he cried out, unsure whether he should feel offended, dismayed or amused.

Black eyes glinted and Sasuke smirked, appearing quite amused all of a sudden. "According to him, you're only with me because I have got quite the big bank account. That's one of the reasons why he fired me actually – he told me I'd come back crying to him once I no longer have the money to 'satisfy' you," he explained; his tone mocking.

"What an arsehole," Naruto groused, crossing his arms and releasing Sasuke's hand. "You could be dirt poor for all I care and I'd still love you."

It took exactly five seconds before his brain caught up to his mouth and he felt his cheeks heat up when he realised just what he had inadvertently admitted now. He turned his head towards the window, praying that he didn't look as red as he thought he was. His baby fussed slightly, pushing a foot against one of his kidneys.

"Even if I was dirt poor, hm?" Sasuke hummed and slender fingers gripped Naruto's chin, turning his head back to the dark haired man. His dark eyes were glittering and the corners of his mouth were curled up in a small smile. "Good to know," he murmured, before locking their lips together in a soft kiss.

"As if you had any doubt about that," Naruto huffed when their mouths separated.

The older man shrugged. "It's always nice to hear," he replied lightly.

Naruto hesitated for a moment, not sure whether he should ask his question now that Sasuke seemed to be in a better mood. He didn't want to make him sad or angry, but he needed to hear the answer, if only to be assured that Sasuke hadn't lost both of them by coming out.

That he hadn't lost both of them by _choosing for Naruto_.

"How – how did Mikoto react?" he questioned tentatively and gnawed on his lower lip when dark eyes shuttered close.

"She was angry – I've never seen her that angry before."

"Oh, Sasuke …" Naruto's heart clenched in pain for the man next to him. While he had always wanted his father's acknowledgment, Sasuke had been closer to his mum, turning to her to receive the love and acceptance Fugaku had been reluctant to give. Naruto had been jealous of their bond sometimes; he had often wondered whether he would have had such a great bond with his mum if she had still been alive.

Not that Mikoto had ever made him feel like an outsider whenever he visited the manor. He had come to regard her as an aunt and she had been there for him whenever he needed a mother figure.

To think that even she would reject her son …

"She started arguing with Fugaku as soon as he told me I was no longer part of the clan," Sasuke continued to his shock; even in his voice the wonder at his mother's reaction shone through.

"What?" Naruto was quite stumped and he stared wide eyed at Sasuke. Mikoto hadn't rejected him? She was actually going against her husband?

"She told me it was best if I went home with you while she and Fugaku 'have a talk'," he curled his fingers in the gesture of air quotes, "but when I left she actually started raising her voice at him. Saying that she couldn't believe he would even kick me out."

He shook his head, looking rather conflicted. "She wasn't even that angry when Itachi left," he murmured; his eyes growing distant. "I didn't mean for her to get into a fight with him," he added chagrined.

"She loves you," Naruto said softly, covering Sasuke's hand with his own. "She loves Itachi as well, but well, Itachi never really cared about Fugaku's opinion – you do."

"Did," Sasuke corrected him and exhaled slowly. "I gave up caring a while ago."

Perhaps that was true, but there was still hurt lingering in the depths of those black eyes and Naruto knew Sasuke was still hurt by Fugaku's reaction. Even while being prepared for every possible outcome, it couldn't have been easy to hear his father rejecting him outright. At least he still had his mother – Naruto felt grateful for Mikoto, glad that she was willing to accept her son, no matter what.

Maybe she could change Fugaku's mind, maybe not. That man was a stubborn arsehole after all. But even if she didn't manage to change his mind, at least Sasuke could be secure in the knowledge that he still had his mother on his side.

Naruto's worry that their baby would have to grow up without knowing at least one of his biological grandparents was abating too; Mikoto's reaction having proved that his worries had been unfounded.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and squeezed Naruto's, linking their fingers briefly together. He leant towards him and pecked his lips again. "Let's go home now, okay? I've done what I needed here and now I just want to go on with my life."

"I get dibs on the fan in our room," Naruto proclaimed immediately, clicking his seatbelt shut and pushing it underneath his stomach, so that it wouldn't put too much pressure on his belly.

An amused huff left the older man and he smirked, pulling his own seatbelt around him. "Just wait this time a bit longer with getting rid of your clothes until the door is closed," he teased.

"I didn't know Deidara-kun was there, okay?!"

That only made Sasuke's smirk grow as he started the car and Naruto crossed his arms on top of his belly with an annoyed huff. How was it his fault that Deidara had passed by their room when Naruto had been busy divesting himself of his clothes last week?

* * *

"That's the last box. The bed's also being installed right now and then everything should be done." Gaara entered the room, wiping his forehead with a towel he had most likely taken from the bathroom. His black T-shirt clung to his chest and he accepted the cold bottle of water Naruto handed over with a grateful nod.

"Not sure whether I trust those two with putting a bed together, un," Deidara muttered from his spot in front of a cupboard, where he was stacking the last plates on the shelf.

Naruto snorted, rearranging one of the chairs so that it aligned better to the table. "All we can do is hope they don't screw it up, because you know they won't let us help." He rolled his eyes, still feeling a tad annoyed at the order that neither he nor Deidara should do anything 'strenuous'. If both Uchiha men had got their wish, both pregnant blonds would have been sitting on the couch the entire time while they and Gaara moved all the furniture and other belongings inside the house.

Neither of the blond men had been very inclined to listen, though, and while they conceded to let the other men carry around the heavy furniture, they set about unboxing all Naruto's and Sasuke's belongings and putting them away on their respective places.

A week after having placed a bid on the house they had been informed that the property was theirs now and two days ago they had accepted the key. They had spread out the moving in part over two days; the heat outside not making it easy to haul around with boxes.

Like he had promised, Gaara had shown up to help out and he had borrowed Kankuro's van to pick up the rest of Naruto's belongings from the storage unit he had been renting for the past several months. New furniture had also been delivered to fill in the gaps that Naruto's belongings couldn't.

"I haven't heard them curse yet, so I'm assuming everything is going like it should," Gaara remarked dryly, leaning against the wall next to the fridge. He uncapped the bottle and took a couple of large gulps. His red hair stuck to his forehead and a rose hue dusted his cheekbones.

"Well, if the bed falls apart when we climb into it, we'll know never to let either of them handle putting furniture together again," Naruto said airily.

"Yeah, don't mention that to Sasuke-kun, because otherwise he'll probably be a paranoid mess the entire time," Deidara snorted, closing the cupboard. He rubbed his belly absentmindedly and sipped from his own half empty bottle of water.

Naruto scoffed, bracing his arms on the chair. "I'm not stupid." He wrinkled his nose. "I'm not going to give him even more fuel to be such a damn worrywart."

"Who's a worrywart?" Sasuke appeared in the doorway, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Nobody. You done with the bed?" Naruto asked curiously.

The dark haired man nodded and sauntered over to Naruto, stealing a sip from his glass of iced tea. "Yeah, everything is set up. Itachi's closing the windows in some of the rooms we won't be using anymore for today."

"It is getting late," Deidara remarked slightly bemused as he glanced at the kitchen clock. "Guess it's time for us to go home."

"You can always stay for dinner," Naruto suggested, smiling when Sasuke's arm slipped around his back; his hand resting on his hip. He changed a glance at the counter. "Although it's probably going to be take out, because I'm not really in the mood to cook now," he admitted sheepishly.

Deidara shook his head, smiling. "Nah, it's fine. We'll leave you two alone, un." He winked.

"I promised Temari I'd eat with her," Gaara said and shrugged, pushing himself off the wall. He came over and squeezed Naruto's shoulder. "I'll see you later, okay."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks for helping us out," Naruto grinned.

"You're welcome."

"Everything finished here?" Itachi entered the kitchen, looking around curiously.

"Yep, everything's done here, un," Deidara smiled, pecking his cheek. "We're going to leave if you're ready."

Another round of goodbye's and "We'll talk later!" later, the front door fell shut behind their friends and silence descended upon the house. The wooden floorboards creaked gently underneath his bare feet when Naruto walked into the living room, catching sight of Sasuke standing in front of the large window.

The setting sun made the bluish tint in his dark hair stand out and black eyes met blue ones in the reflection of the window.

"It's been two long days," Naruto sighed, coming to a halt next to him. Even though he didn't want to admit it, moving out and into their new house had been more tiring than he had expected. The heavy heat lingering outside didn't help matters either.

An arm slipped around his waist, rubbing his rounded belly slowly. "Yeah, but we have our own house now," Sasuke murmured, nosing Naruto's temple. "All that needs to be done is finish up the nursery and then our house will be completely ready."

_Our house_. The words had butterflies racing around in his stomach and Naruto couldn't contain the giddy smile from spreading wide across his face.

"No regrets?" Sasuke asked; his eyes glittering in the dying sunlight. He turned around slightly to face Naruto better, resting his hands on Naruto's lower back and pulling him as close as his belly allowed.

"No regrets," Naruto confirmed and their lips met in a deep, tender kiss; his own hands clasped around Sasuke's neck.

There were still issues with Sasuke's parents – what Mikoto would do next now that Fugaku was clearly not about to give in – and Naruto still had to inform Jiraiya of the new changes in his life. Tsunade would have to be informed as well.

Then there was Sakura – who might be planning her revenge or had given up. Only the future would clarify that.

But for now everything was perfect: the two of them together.

Living in their own house and preparing for the new arrival in their little family.

Life right now was pretty damn perfect if you asked Naruto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I know not much happened in this chapter, but yeah ... The chapter was stubborn. 
> 
> It's been almost a year since I posted the first chapter of this story and I can't believe we're getting close to 800 kudos :O Thank you for your continued support!
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> I hope to see you all back in the next chapter, which normally should be posted on the sixth of April.
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Worked until two in the morning to finish this chapter on time *drops down* I am happy to see that this story is on its way to get 900 kudos :D Thank you so much for your continued support!
> 
> Thank you for all the comments and the kudos!
> 
> Warnings: A bit of angst, but not much
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 28_

"You're sure you're going to be fine on your own?" Sasuke paused in putting his tie around his neck, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'll be fine, I promise," Naruto smiled, taking small sips from his tea. Teasingly he added, "You do realise this is not the first time I'm on my own during the day, right?"

The other man scowled at him. "I know that," he muttered, tying his tie with rough, jerky movements. He was already dressed for work in an ensemble of a light blue shirt and black trousers.

Today he would start working for Itachi's company and he had acted rather jittery ever since he had woken up, fussing over Naruto more than he usually did.

"You nervous?" Naruto inquired curiously, putting his cup down on the table.

"I'm not nervous," Sasuke snapped, running a hand through his hair. "Why would I be?"

"It would be completely normal, you know. This is the first time you'll be working somewhere else and - "

"I'm not nervous, Naruto," Sasuke repeated annoyed and exhaled loudly. "I just don't want anyone there to think I only got the job because Itachi's my brother," he added bitterly; his frown marring his forehead.

"Hey, you didn't get the job just because you're his brother," the blond man refuted sharply. "You went through the proper channels: you got an interview, aced that one and you got the job. They would have been idiots not to realise you'll be a great asset to the company. Besides, do you really think Itachi would have recommended you for that position if he wasn't sure you could handle it?"

"I know that," Sasuke sighed; his hands resting on the back of a chair. "I know Itachi wouldn't do that, it's just … I don't want to fuck this up." The admission was quiet, barely audible, and the dark haired man looked annoyed at himself for having confessed that.

Naruto rose up and walked around the table, sliding his arms around Sasuke's waist as best as he could with his belly between them. "You're not going to fuck this up," he said determinedly, catching dark eyes so that the older man would know he was serious about this. "You're going to be amazing at this job and you're going to show everyone there that you're not one to be messed around with, okay? You've got this, Sasuke, I know you do."

An arm slipped around his waist, the hand warm against the side of his stomach, and lips pressed a fleeting kiss against his temple. "Yeah, you're right," Sasuke murmured and Naruto felt him relax slowly in his embrace. "I just don't like the thought of you being on your own now." The worry about disappointing his older brother played a part as well, even if he would never admit it aloud, but at least he was willing to believe Naruto's words.

"I'll be fine," Naruto sighed; his eyes slipping down to rest on his belly. "Gaara's planning to come over today, so it's not like I'll be alone anyway. And Deidara-kun doesn't live that far away either. Besides, I'll be busy finishing up the nursery; that's all I can do now anyway."

He hadn't meant to sound so bitter and he grimaced, realising his mistake at the way Sasuke subtly tensed. He couldn't really help it, though. After the euphory of sharing a house with Sasuke – of actually living together as a couple, no longer forced to remain a secret – had dissipated, he hadn't been able to stop himself from looking around the house and realising that the majority of their belongings, _the house itself_ , had been bought with Sasuke's money. He had contributed where he could, but even after not having had to pay rent for months thanks to living with Deidara and Itachi, there was nowhere near enough money in his bank account to even afford half of the down payment of the house.

Now that he was on paternity leave, he also didn't have a full salary anymore and it would take a while to recover from the C-section, meaning he wouldn't be able to go back to work for at least several months. In the back of his mind he had always been aware of the discrepancy between his and Sasuke's salary; there was not much that could be done about that, though, given how much their jobs differed and he hadn't been too bothered by that at first.

But now, walking around in the house and using stuff that had mostly been bought with Sasuke's money, it really drove the fact home that Naruto would never be able to contribute to their household as much as Sasuke was doing. He could sell paintings, certainly, but art sadly wasn't a steady income provider and he could go months without selling even one painting.

No matter how many paintings he sold, how many hours he would teach classes, he would most likely never earn as much as Sasuke did and their contributions to the household would remain unequal – a realisation which tasted quite sour.

"What's bothering you exactly?" Sasuke questioned, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Naruto said quickly, taking a couple of steps back. His shirt had ridden up slightly and he pulled it back down, avoiding the heavy gaze resting on him.

"I know you as well as you know me, Naruto, and I _know_ there's something bothering you. What is it?" Sasuke demanded, crossing his arms. "Does it have to do with the nursery? You don't have to do that on your own, I'll - "

"It's got nothing to do with the nursery, Sasuke," Naruto groaned, rubbing his hands over his face and feeling exasperated with himself. He should have just kept his mouth shut instead of worrying Sasuke; he definitely didn't need the extra worry on his first day at Itachi's company.

"What's on your mind then?"

Naruto chanced a glance at him and groaned inwardly. He recognised that look on Sasuke's face: that was the look he carried whenever he was determined to get to the bottom of something. He wouldn't give up until he knew exactly what was wrong. As much as he called Naruto stubborn, the dark eyed man could be quite tenacious himself when he wanted to be.

"Seriously, it's nothing, okay? It's stupid, so no need to worry about it."

"So you can support me, but I can't support you?" Sasuke scoffed; dark eyes flashing with annoyance. "That's bullshit and you know it, Naruto. It wouldn't bother you so much if it was really nothing."

Irritation, exasperation with himself and irrational anger smashed together and came out all at once instantly. "I'm 'bothered' by the fact that I'll never earn as much as you do, okay?! I'm bothered by the fact that you had to buy basically everything on your own, because my own salary doesn't cut it! I fucking hate that I can't contribute to our life together as much as you do, because my teacher's pay doesn't even come close to your pay!"

_I fucking hate that I'm not your equal._

He didn't yell those last words, but the unspoken thought hovered between them nevertheless, pressing down on them.

" _God damn it_ ," Naruto hissed underneath his breath and whirled around, rubbing his hands briskly over his face; his cheeks feeling as hot as fire. Fuck this, he hated himself for losing control that easily. What the hell was wrong with him? Why the fuck did he have to go and unload all that heavy bullshit on Sasuke? They should be enjoying living together, finally being together in the open, instead of arguing about his damn issues.

Ever since he had laid eyes on Sasuke, a part of him had always been painfully aware of how different their status' were. Sasuke came from a rich, influential family, graced with both intelligence and beauty, while Naruto had never really known his parents, having lost them when he had been barely three years old. He had struggled in school, some courses easier for him than others, and had been known as the class clown – but one most people barely paid any attention to.

He was grateful to have found good friends in Gaara and Sasuke – and Sakura too in the past, he guessed was the best way to describe their relationship now – but he could remember all too well the whispers that had followed him wherever he went when people had seen him together with Sasuke.

Sasuke: the most handsome guy in their school, the most intelligent one, succeeding in everything he tried – and Naruto: class clown, loud mouthed with scars marring his cheeks, scraping by in most classes thanks to his friends' tutoring. A bigger contrast couldn't be found, especially not in a school where cliques and social standing had been so important.

Sasuke had never cared about any of those things, Naruto knew. He hadn't cared who was popular, who you should hang around with and who to avoid, and had never once cared that people thought it odd that he had befriended a weirdo like Naruto. He just had never given a shit and had done what he thought was best, even if that had meant people disagreeing with him.

The blond man knew this – but sometimes it was hard to remember that they were equals, when the world seemed to delight in pointing out their differences.

"That's what's been bothering you? Our salaries?" Sasuke asked; his voice carefully bland, not revealing what he thought of Naruto's tantrum just now.

Crossing his arms on top of his belly, Naruto muttered bitterly, "I know you think it's stupid, that's why - "

"You're right, it's stupid," Sasuke stated bluntly and Naruto couldn't stop himself from flinching, his nails biting into his arms.

Drawing closer to the door, he mumbled numbly, "Just forget about it. You need to leave soon anyway; you don't want to be - "

"It's stupid, because it _doesn't matter_. It doesn't matter that you make less money than I do – that doesn't make you any lesser than me," Sasuke said strongly and then he was grabbing Naruto's shoulder, turning him around. "Look at me."

Any other moment and the pregnant man would have told him to fuck off, but now he could only wordlessly obey and stare at the dark haired man with wide eyes.

"I don't care how much you earn, all right? You're my equal in everything that counts. You've _always_ been my equal and that's not going to change," he continued, as always knowing how to pick out the real issues in Naruto's rants. "You can become a full time stay at home dad for all I care; it doesn't matter to me."

"I just … It doesn't feel right. It feels like I'm taking advantage of you and that fucking sucks, okay!" Naruto retorted roughly, breathing harshly. Fugaku's comment about him being a gold digger had hit home harder than he had thought, because he had strived all his life to be as independent as possible, refusing to be a burden on anyone.

To live here and know that this house had only been possible, because Sasuke was paying for most of it … _It fucking sucked_.

Sasuke snorted loudly and Naruto's hackles raised when he spotted the amusement – incredibly misplaced – dancing in his eyes. "You think this is funny?" he hissed and his hands came up to push Sasuke away.

Before they could connect to his shoulders, however, Sasuke snatched his hands and held them firmly in his own. "Yes, it's funny, because you're definitely the last person to ever take advantage of anyone, Naruto," he stated firmly. "Don't worry about our finances, all right? There's nothing wrong with how we arrange things. You think Sakura brought in as much money as I did?"

Naruto bit down on his lower lip, barely holding himself back from pointing out that even she still earnt more money than he did.

That particular comment had to be visible on his face, though, - and hadn't Gaara always told him he was easy to read? – because Sasuke sighed and released his hands; his own hands coming down to cup Naruto's belly to his surprise. "Look, if you're really bothered by how much each of us earns, then you should realise that you're richer than I am."

"What? That doesn't make any sense, bastard," Naruto retorted, frowning heavily, as he scowled at the other man. How the hell could he be richer than Sasuke when their wages differed with at least three zero's? Was Sasuke messing with him?

"You can't put a price on family," Sasuke stated bluntly, gazing intensely down at the blond man.

"What?" Naruto was feeling utterly lost now. What did family have to do with their argument about wages? Was the stress of the last couple of months finally getting to Sasuke? He started wondering whether he should call Itachi to see if he could make sense of his brother's cryptic comments.

Sasuke's features softened and he brushed a soft kiss against surprised, slack lips. "You're giving me a family, Naruto. That's worth more than any job could pay – _our baby_ is worth everything. _You_ are worth everything. You've always been on my side, you never abandoned me and now you're carrying my baby – you're the one enriching my life. All the money in the world doesn't measure up to what I have with you."

He breathed out slowly, his hands caressing Naruto's stomach lovingly, before they slipped around his waist and rested on his back; his touch hot even through the cloth of Naruto's shirt. "So stop worrying so much about who pays for what, all right? You're an idiot for worrying about something as stupid as that, anyway," he added with a touch of exasperation in his voice.

And of course he had to attach an insult to that. Naruto could hardly bring himself to care about that small insult, though, not when he was furiously blinking away some stray tears; his face feeling on fire and probably resembling a tomato by now. Naruto had always been the one most likely to say something emotional, practically wearing his emotions on his sleeve, but sometimes Sasuke opened up like now and well … that never failed to catch the blond man off guard.

Swallowing down the lump which had blocked his throat while listening to the dark eyed man, Naruto cleared his throat and released a jittery chuckle. "Man, this whole becoming a papa thing is really making you mushy as hell. Should I be worried that you've been replaced by a pod person?" he asked teasingly and laughed when Sasuke rolled his eyes, slapping the back of his head lightly.

"Usuratonkachi," Sasuke scoffed, but there was a faint frown lining his forehead. "You okay now?"

Naruto sighed softly, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, I'm okay. I promise," he added when his words sparked nothing but wariness in dark eyes. "Just got into a mood."

"Instead of bottling it up, you should talk about it," Sasuke chided him and Naruto couldn't help but snort in disbelief at the irony of it.

"I don't need to hear that from you, bastard," he retorted pointedly, raising an eyebrow.

Sasuke scowled, but didn't refute his comment, knowing it would be futile. His gaze shifted towards the clock and he grimaced. "I need to leave now. Don't want to be late."

"That definitely wouldn't be a good first impression," Naruto chuckled and their son kicked harshly in agreement. Wincing a bit, he rubbed his stomach soothingly.

"All right, I'm going. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Yeah, have fun at the office." They shared a kiss before Sasuke left, leaving Naruto alone for the first time since they had moved in.

"Guess it's best if I work on your room a bit more, hm? Can't have you sleeping in an unfinished room when you're finally here," Naruto commented, stroking his belly a couple of times before he started cleaning the table.

There was still some unease and a sliver of frustration brimming in the pit of his stomach, but there wasn't much he could do now.

Except believe Sasuke that it really didn't matter how much they earnt.

* * *

"How's the nursery coming along?" Gaara asked curiously; the ice cubes clacking against his glass when he lifted it to take a sip of his iced tea.

"Quite well actually," Naruto smiled, plopping an apple slice in his mouth. "I'm turning one of the walls into a mini universe with stars and some planets. Might make another wall into a forest or so."

He had helped Sasuke with putting together the crib, the two dressers and the changing table this weekend. The furniture had been pushed to the middle of the room for now while Naruto decided on the themes for the walls. He was thinking of painting two walls in just a regular colour and push the furniture against those walls; some shelves had already been mounted to one wall and were awaiting the arrival of stuffed toys and picture books.

They still needed to buy clothes and diapers and some other miscellaneous stuff before the baby arrived, but they still had some time for that.

"Let me guess: he insists on doing the actual painting part," Gaara smirked, leaning back in his chair. Some ink was smudged across the back of his right hand and there were light bags darkening his eyes: proof that he hadn't been sleeping well this past week – or at all.

The blond man smiled wryly and nodded. "He does, yeah. He actually did a good job with the painting in the nursery of Deidara-kun and Itachi, so I can't really use that as an argument."

It was actually equally endearing and funny to witness Sasuke putting so much concentration in painting a piece of a wall. The creative insults that slipped out of him whenever he splattered paint on himself just made it more hilarious.

Gaara shifted on his chair and the way amusement slipped into solemnness had Naruto sitting up straighter. "What? Something wrong?"

Tapping fingers against the edge of the table, the red haired man inclined his head towards Naruto's rounded stomach. "Not to pry, but have you told Jiraiya yet?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Naruto shook his head, feeling guilt simmer inside. "No, not yet. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to explain this to him," he admitted with a grimace.

As far as Jiraiya was aware, he was still only Sasuke's surrogate, counting down the days until he could hand over the baby to the couple. To be honest, Naruto was a bit worried how the older man would react. He'd always been a lady man, chasing down every skirt and dress he laid eyes upon, but he had always drawn the line at cheating. As soon as he knew a woman already had a relationship, he backed off and left her alone.

It was a sharp contrast to Naruto who, despite having sworn to never hurt anyone like that, had been having an affair with Sasuke for nearly two months before Sakura had discovered the truth.

He hated the thought of disappointing his godfather and being part of an affair, hurting one of his own friends, would be one of the fastest way to disappoint the older man. Not that he could blame Jiraiya if he reacted badly.

"Well, I'm not pushing you, but I wouldn't wait too much longer with telling him," Gaara remarked cautiously. "The longer you wait, the more difficult you make it for yourself."

Naruto groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face. "I know, trust me," he muttered. Lowering his hands he stared at his half empty glass with tea and pursed his lips. A look at his phone resting next to the glass informed him it had just turned three p.m.

He would still be at his office at this hour.

"You know what?" Naruto said abruptly, downing the rest of his tea. "No time like the present, right? I'll go talk to him now. Would you mind - "

"I'll drive," Gaara offered easily, rising up from his chair and snatching his keys from the counter.

He threw his friend a grateful smile, standing up and grabbing his phone. "Thanks, Gaara." On his way out, he stuffed his keys into his pocket and tried to ignore the way his stomach was doing flips. A part of him wanted to turn around and tell Gaara he would visit Jiraiya later, but he knew himself: if he didn't go now, he would keep seeking excuses until it was too late and Jiraiya deserved to be finally informed.

"You ready?" Gaara eyed him curiously when he slid into his seat and pulled the door of the car shut.

"Yeah, let's go." _Before I change my mind._

Green eyes studied him a few seconds longer and then Gaara nodded and started the car, backing away from the house and onto the street.

Now there was no going back anymore. This was going to be one hell of an interesting conversation …

* * *

"So yeah, that's – that's what's happened in the last couple of months," Naruto finished and shut his mouth abruptly, fidgeting with his keys. His gaze fell down on the carpet covered floor, his courage deserting him all at once at the thought of having to look at Jiraiya now. Gaara was waiting outside in the hallway; he had said waiting in the cool hallway was better than relying on the air conditioning in his car, but Naruto suspected he was mainly waiting outside in case he needed to interfere.

The white haired man had listened quietly the whole time Naruto had talked – or well, blurted out the whole story to be more accurate – but now the silence was stifling, weighing down on him. He wasn't sure whether he preferred this silence over any kind of angry outburst to be honest.

The sound of the clock ticking away the seconds was especially loud in the heavy silence. _Tick tock. Tick tock._

Jiraiya's chair groaned softly when he shifted and he uttered a loud sigh. When Naruto dared to peek up, the older man was rubbing his forehead; his lips pressed into a thin line. Dark eyes looked at him solemnly – a strange look on the otherwise general cheerful man.

"You've got yourself in quite the mess, kid," Jiraiya grimaced, leaning back in his chair.

"I know, all right?" Naruto mumbled, rubbing a hand over his left arm. His baby was fussing a bit, pushing out small fists and tiny feet occasionally. "You don't have to tell me that."

Jiraiya rubbed the back of his neck; an uncomfortable look crossing his face. "You think you'll make it up with her in the future?" he questioned tentatively.

The younger man grimaced, clasping his arms around his belly. "I – I don't think that will happen," he admitted haltingly. "She was – she was pretty pissed off when I last saw her."

"Well, I can't really say I blame her for that," Jiraiya muttered.

Naruto flinched, looking away. He was very much aware of the fact that he couldn't blame Sakura for getting upset – he didn't need his godfather to remind him of that.

"You happy with Uchiha?" Jiraiya asked abruptly; his voice gruff.

Naruto's head shot up in surprise, taken aback by the unexpected question. "Yes, I am," the words nevertheless instantly left his mouth.

His face must have shown something, because Jiraiya's face softened and he smiled wryly. "While I wish you wouldn't have got yourself into such a big mess, you're also an adult now and you have to make your own choices. If you're happy, though – then that's all that matters."

"You're not mad?" Naruto asked, worrying his lower lip between his teeth. He might be turning twenty-five this year, but a part of him would forever cling to getting approval from the parental figures in his life. He and Jiraiya had had to build their relationship from scratch after years of not knowing each other and he didn't want to lose their bond, because he had followed his heart instead of his mind.

Jiraiya snorted. "Not much point in getting mad is there?" he asked dryly. "What's done is done and it's your life. But no, brat, I'm not angry. I just want to see you happy and if Uchiha can make you happy…" He shrugged, a tad helpless. "Then I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, old man," Naruto smiled weakly; his voice thick. On a whim he stood up and walked around the desk, surprising the other man with a hug – as much as he could hug him with his large belly between them. "I mean it. Thanks."

Jiraiya patted his back awkwardly, standing up so that they could hug properly. "Yeah, yeah. Don't think you or Uchiha are getting out of an official dinner with me, though," he retorted gruffly.

Naruto laughed, shaking his head, but readily agreeing to the dinner. The hard part was done anyway; a dinner was like a walk in the park compared to this.

* * *

"I assume the conversation went well?" Gaara pushed himself off the wall, eyeing Naruto curiously when he closed the door to Jiraiya's office behind him.

The blond man grinned, scratching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, it went fine. He's okay with everything."

"Of course he is," Gaara said and they started walking to the exit. "As if there was any doubt about that."

Naruto hummed, feeling lighter as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. In hindsight, it seemed ridiculous to have been nervous about Jiraiya's reaction, but well, one could never know. His attention was caught by the calendar standing on the reception's desk where the number 'eighteen' was framed with a bright red square. Right, it was the eighteenth of July already; that meant that in a couple of days …

Naruto turned to his red haired friend and grinned, excitement bubbling inside him. "Hey, Gaara, do you mind if we make a small detour? There's something I need to pick up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: I hope this chapter wasn't too bad! Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me!
> 
> The next chapter should normally be posted on the twentieth of April.
> 
> I hope to see you all back in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter turned out quite a bit longer than I expected, but I don't think you'll mind too much LOL
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and the comments!
> 
> Warnings: eh, mostly fluff I guess; mature content
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> Shoutout to Meehalla for helping me with the presents!
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 29_

When Naruto woke up on the twenty-third of July the sun was creeping between a small gap in the curtains and Sasuke was still asleep, his face practically mushed into his pillow and his hand resting against Naruto's belly.

The blond man stretched and grimaced when a firm kick was delivered straight into his bladder; his baby announcing gleefully that he was awake too. The urge to pee was bigger than his desire to linger in bed and reluctantly he climbed out of the bed, doing his best not to disturb the dark haired man too much. On bare feet he padded out of the room, into the hallway and entered the bathroom, flicking on the light. The coldness of the tiles underneath his warm feet was like a shock and he shivered, hastily making his way to the toilet.

Done with relieving his bladder, he washed his hands and after drying them off, flicked off the light again and shuffled back to the bedroom. The mattress dipped lightly underneath his weight when he carefully sat back down, swinging his legs up and wriggling them underneath the light summer blanket.

"Where did you go to?" Sasuke's sleepy voice broke the silence and Naruto started a bit, twisting around to face the older man. Dark eyes, still half lidded with sleep, gazed at him questioningly.

"Your son decided this was the perfect moment to use my bladder as a punching ball," Naruto murmured amused and smiled when a pale hand slipped around his belly, palming his left side.

"So he's always _my_ son if he kicks you, huh?" Sasuke snorted; his thumb rubbing soothing circles across the warm skin.

"Well, yeah, out of the two of us, your genes have the arsehole attitude," Naruto retorted cheerfully and snickered when his thigh got slapped in retaliation. He wiggled down until he was lying on his side, facing the other man. "You survived your first work week," he announced teasingly, slipping his arm around Sasuke's waist.

"And Itachi didn't hover even once," Sasuke said dryly.

"See how much trust he has in you," Naruto grinned; his fingers tracing up and down Sasuke's spine.

Dark eyes rolled in exasperation, but the older man didn't comment. He only shuffled closer and palmed the blond's hip; the thin ray of sunlight bringing out the blueish hue in his hair.

"I know a good way to celebrate your first week at the Akatsuki Cooperation," Naruto hummed, brushing his lips against Sasuke's mouth in a light kiss.

"Yeah? How so?"

"Well, I've got it on good authority that someone is turning a year older today," Naruto replied in a sing-song voice. "So I figured we could celebrate his birthday today." A squeak of surprise escaped him when he was abruptly pushed down on his back and strong legs pushed open his, before the dark haired man slid between them. Pale arms caged him in, supporting the owner so that his full weight wouldn't be pressing down on his rounded belly.

Black eyes glistened and a smirk lingered across pale rose lips. "Oh? And how are you going to celebrate this birthday?" he murmured, bringing his face so close to Naruto's that his mouth brushed against the blond's when he spoke; little puffs of air grazing tanned skin.

Looping his arms around Sasuke's shoulders, Naruto tilted his head slightly to the right and quirked an eyebrow. "Well, there will definitely be a birthday cake," he drawled; his left hand slipping through silky soft strands. "Can't have a birthday without a cake, am I right?"

"Hm, I suppose so. What else?"

"Presents naturally. You don't turn twenty-five every day," Naruto continued lightly and slowly raised his right leg, making sure to stroke it against his lover's leg as he brought it up. He didn't wrap it around Sasuke's hips, but rested it against his side and when the dark haired man moved next, their hips slotted against each other perfectly and the pregnant man bit down on his lip when he felt something hard pressing against him.

Refusing to let any reaction show, he continued airily, "A big dinner too, prepared by yours truly."

"The kitchen's going to survive?" Sasuke questioned amused, but heat flared up in his eyes when Naruto trailed his hands lower, resting them right above his arse.

"That remains to be seen," Naruto retorted and stuck out his tongue, before smiling mischievously. "And of course there might be some one on one time with me as well."

"Yeah? And what exactly does one on one time entail?" Sasuke murmured, nosing Naruto's cheek before lowering his head and nipping right underneath the blond's left ear.

"Hmm, that would depend on what the birthday boy has in mind," Naruto whispered; his index and middle finger of his right hand dipping underneath the black waistband. "It could be me on all fours for example," he continued in a low voice; his lips turning up in a slow smile when hips jerked against his own. "Or me on top. I could be on my back with my legs spread wide." Another thrust against him. "So many options still left to choose from. But before that, though …"

"What?" Sasuke asked breathlessly; his pupils considerably bigger than they had been when he first opened his eyes.

Naruto shifted, bringing his mouth to Sasuke's left ear and whispered, "Before that, you know what else I've planned?"

The older man shook his head; his hips rocking back and forth almost unnoticeable.

"Before that … Itachi and Deidara-kun will come celebrate your birthday!"

His exclamation made Sasuke jerk back as if he had been doused in ice cold water and he cursed, sitting up and glaring down at a snickering blond, whose blue eyes glowed with mirth.

"Idiot!" Sasuke growled, rubbing his hands over his face, looking quite vexed.

Naruto grinned, dropping his arms. "What? You don't like what I've planned? You seemed so enthusiastic before," he said innocently.

"No need to invite them on my account," Sasuke snipped, clearly still irritated at being cockblocked by his own boyfriend.

"Now that's not nice, Sasuke," Naruto said mockingly and snickered when the dark haired man dropped down next to him on the bed with a dismayed groan. "You can't expect Itachi not to show up for his beloved little brother's birthday, now can you?"

The foul look Sasuke threw him stated clearly that he could and would expect that. With a shrug Naruto sat up, kicking off the blankets. He was wide awake now, he might as well get up and start the preparations for Sasuke's birthday.

"Play nice today and I'll play nice with you tonight," he promised with an impish smile and winked.

Sasuke rose up too and ran a hand through his hair before leaning towards Naruto and pressing a deep kiss – one filled with dark promises and lingering heat – on his mouth. "I'm holding you on to that promise," he murmured; his hand like a hot brand on Naruto's thigh.

"That's fine," Naruto managed to bring out once he got his bearings back, all too aware of how close Sasuke was sitting against him and just how near his hand was to his crotch. The sharp glimmer in those dark eyes promised all sorts of things and he swallowed, hating himself for teasing the both of them like that. He should have known better than to think he would be able to one up Sasuke with his little stunt and the temptation to finish what he had started was quite big, but he forced himself to hold back.

He couldn't afford to mess up his timing for today, just because he had underestimated just how affected he himself would be with his teasing.

"Happy birthday," he said instead and watched how the corners of Sasuke's mouth pulled up in a soft smile before their lips met in a kiss, kept light enough not to tempt either one of them into doing more.

Tonight couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Deidara and Itachi arrived right before lunch. Instead of a regular lunch, Naruto had created a version of a walking dinner, filling up the table with various dishes that they could choose from and fill their plates with. There were several dishes with onigiri; each one stuffed with a different kind of filling. There was also a bowl with zarusoba: soba noodles left to grow cold with sesame seeds and katsuobushi sprinkled on top of them and chopped laver. Another bowl was filled with fresh salad and small tomato cubes mixed within the green leaves.

Sasuke didn't have many favourite dishes, but Naruto had gone all out with the dishes he knew the other man would love. For tonight they would get take out from Sasuke's favourite place and there was also dessert in the form of ice cream waiting for them in the freezer.

"Time for the presents!" Naruto announced brightly as soon as the last bowl filled the dishwasher and the table was completely clean and bare of any plate once more.

"Shouldn't I be the enthusiastic one?" Sasuke remarked dryly, sitting down on the couch as when the blond man ushered them into the living room.

"I'm helping you with that part," Naruto retorted and stuck out his tongue, sinking down next to him.

"And he's doing a better job of it than you, un," Deidara smirked. With his C-section being planned for the first of August, he looked ready to pop and he had already lamented to Naruto just how fussy his fiancé had become. Itachi hadn't liked the thought of Deidara leaving the house so close to his due date – even if their houses weren't that far apart – but the older blond had put his foot down and had insisted he would attend Sasuke's birthday party as well.

Deidara's huffy complaints made Naruto wonder whether Sasuke would become this fussy as well once his own due date would near. Given how concerned the other man could already be at times … Yeah, he probably would have to deal with his own fussy Uchiha soon.

"I am so sorry for not reacting like a kid," Sasuke said in a deadpan voice, looking distinctively unimpressed with Deidara's comment.

"You didn't even react like that as a kid," Itachi remarked dryly. He placed his drink down and picked up a dark blue envelope – one of the two gifts they had brought with them.

"For today being my birthday, you're on my case quite a lot," Sasuke retorted with a scowl.

"All in good fun, otouto," Itachi smirked and held out the envelope to him. "Indulge your hidden inner child and open your presents."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but accepted the first gift without complaint, eyeing it even with faint curiosity. Slipping the top flap out of the envelope, he took a brief peek inside before taking out something which appeared to be a card, made out of shiny and rather thick paper.

Curiosity blooming up, Naruto leant towards him, wanting to know what was written on the card. "An all-in stay at the beach for two?" he said surprised, flicking his gaze towards the older couple right across from him.

"I've only started working at your firm for a week – you already trying to get rid of me this soon?" Sasuke snorted, waving the invitation card in the air.

"Definitely not," Itachi replied calmly, crossing his legs. "I just thought you might appreciate going away for a weekend with Naruto-kun to relax. You don't have to go immediately; you've got up to a year to decide when you want to go."

"It's been quite some time since we last went to the beach," Naruto mused aloud, plucking the card out of Sasuke's hand and studying the glossy print of the sand with the bright blue water. The hotel, with a couple of expensive cars in front of it, took up half of the card. "And this one's at a fancy hotel too."

"Where else would you spend your holiday?" Itachi raised an eyebrow and right, of course it would make sense to him that they would spend a weekend at an _expensive_ hotel. "You might as well take full advantage of everything that place has to offer."

"True, it's been some years since we last went there," Sasuke agreed; his eyes flickering back and forth between Naruto and the card. "Thanks, nii-san."

"No problem. You deserve some time off." Itachi shrugged.

"Here's our other gift, un," Deidara smiled, holding out a small box covered in dark red wrapping paper.

Sasuke ripped off the paper, revealing a simple white box with a lid. Cocking his head slightly to the right, he plucked off the lid and then had to remove another layer of paper around whatever was inside the box. Dipping his hand inside to grab the object, he said bemused, "You got me a mug?"

"Look at what's written on it, un," Deidara answered; his blue eyes glittering as he slowly caressed his stomach.

Sasuke turned the mug – painted a shiny azure blue colour – and stilled when he read the inscription on it. The text was painted in a beautiful handwriting – resembling calligraphy – and announced in a soft white colour ' _Only the Best Uncles Get Promoted to Godfather'_.

Naruto's eyes widened as comprehension of the meaning behind the message dawned upon him and he gazed at the other two men in surprise.

"Wait, does this mean …" Sasuke trailed off, lifting his eyes slowly away from the mug. There was a mild, almost imperceptible, tremor going through his hand and Naruto put his hand on Sasuke's knee, squeezing it gently.

Deidara's grin softened and he nodded. "We'd love it if you would become the godfather of our baby, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke blinked, looking taken aback. "Are you sure?"

"There's no one else we would want as a godfather to our child, Sasuke," Itachi said calmly; his arm snaked around Deidara's back, his hand resting against his side. "What do you think, though? Do you want to be our baby's godfather?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course I want to," Sasuke replied and if his voice sounded rough and if he was suspiciously blinking rapidly for a couple of seconds, nobody mentioned it.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," Deidara smiled. "I'm happy you accepted, un."

"Thanks for asking me," Sasuke chuckled, carefully placing the mug on the small table in front of them. He lowered his hand on Naruto's, resting it on top of his.

"Of course, you're our first choice," Itachi reassured him.

"Where did you find this mug?" Naruto inquired curiously. "The calligraphy is so beautiful."

Deidara flushed a light red and he rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed. "Ah well, I actually made that mug, un," he admitted. "I wanted to find a nice way to ask Sasuke-kun about becoming the godfather, but I couldn't find anything good in the store. So I figured I'd just have to make something of my own."

"Well, it's amazing," Naruto told him admiringly. His eyes shifted to the one remaining present on the table and he uncrossed his legs, feeling a tad nervous all of a sudden. It was time for his gift now and suddenly he wasn't so sure whether he had made the right choice. Perhaps it was too stupid; he should have gone for something safe like a book or so.

"Time for my present I guess," he laughed weakly and ignoring Sasuke's light frown, he plucked his gift – a small, flat case wrapped in bright orange paper because he had been unable to resist that particular colour – from the table and offered it to Sasuke. "Here, happy birthday."

Sasuke eyed him curiously, but accepted the present and snorted at the colour of the wrapping. "Orange, really?" he said dryly, shaking his head before ripping the paper off.

"There's nothing wrong with orange," the blond man insisted with a sniff, crossing his arms on top of his belly. His stomach did nervous flips, though, and he watched the dark haired man's face like a hawk, keeping track of the miniscule changes his features went through as he examined the light brown wooden box before opening the lid.

Dark eyes widened a notch when Sasuke realised what exactly he was looking at and he carefully stroked the stone resting on the white cotton. The stone itself was around an inch wide and was mostly white with some faint blue shimmering in the centre. A small hole had been drilled into the top, allowing a leather cord to be looped through and turning the stone into some sort of necklace.

Slender fingers picked up the stone and the sharp intake of breath that followed was loud in the otherwise silent room as Sasuke caught sight of the numbers delicately etched into the middle of the stone.

"Is this?"

Naruto nodded, smiling weakly as he scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Yeah, that's eh, that's the stone I gave you back then. I found it in one of the smaller boxes when I was unpacking and asked a friend of mine to turn it into that." He waved haphazardly at the result of Tenten painstakingly carving the exact date in the stone and turning it into a proper necklace.

He hadn't been certain whether she would have wanted to take up the job, but had figured he had had nothing to lose and while Sasuke had been at the estate agent's office to deal with the last details regarding the house, he had snuck into her dojo and had inquired whether she still did commissions. Fortunately she did and she had been more than happy to help him with preparing his present.

"This date – that's from when we - "

"Yeah, it is." The date carved into the small stone was the date when they had officially become friends. He and Sasuke had been hanging out together for a couple of weeks by then, but the blond hadn't been entirely certain whether they had become friends or whether that had been an elaborate cruel prank made at his expense.

During a school trip, he and Sasuke had been walking on a narrow path near a lake when he had braced himself and had asked whether they were friends. Sasuke had looked at him like he was an idiot and had scoffed that of course, they were friends, what else would they be? While the confirmation had made him flush there had still been that small part in him that hadn't dared to believe the older boy completely, paranoid as he was that it would still be just a joke in the end after all. Sasuke must have read the apprehension in his face – because even back then he had been scarily good at reading Naruto – because he had suddenly diverted from the path, walking through the trees and forcing the blond to follow him hastily, albeit confused. At the shore Sasuke had been looking at something on the ground before picking something up and pushing it in Naruto's hand.

It had been a round stone, green with some thin golden specks dotted everywhere. A friendship stone, Sasuke had told him stoically as Naruto had stared at the stone amazed. Only best friends could give a special stone like that to each other. That had inspired Naruto to search a stone for Sasuke in return and they had gone back home each with their friendship stone in their pocket and Naruto secure in the knowledge that Sasuke was really his friend.

Naruto had kept his stone all these years and when he had found Sasuke's stone, an idea for his birthday present had popped up in his mind. Then it had seemed like the perfect gift, but now he wasn't so sure anymore …

"I know you don't really wear any kind of jewellery," Naruto started nervously, all too aware of the way Deidara and Itachi eyed the necklace with unbridled curiosity. "But I thought this would make a nice gift with something special to us, but if you don't want to wear it, I'll understand. It's just - "

"Shut up," Sasuke huffed and slipped the leather cord around his neck before Naruto could react to the rude comment. The stone fell down a bit below his collarbone and Sasuke considered it pensively, rolling it back and forth between his fingers before he looked up. "You got your own?"

Naruto snapped his mouth shut – which had dropped open in surprise when his lover had simply put the necklace on – and blinked, his hand dropping to his right pocket. "Eh yeah, got it right here," he muttered and fished out his own stone, looping the cord around his fingers. He held up his hand and let the stone dangle in the air; the green specks glittering in the sunlight streaming through the window. His own stone bore the same inscription and his thumb brushed over the fine script.

"Might as well put it on as well," Sasuke remarked, his dark eyes gleaming with something akin to satisfaction.

Why Sasuke would be satisfied just because Naruto had turned his stone into a necklace as well was a mystery to the blond, but he shrugged and looped the leather cord around his neck; the stone feeling pleasantly smooth as it slid down his chest.

"What does that date - " Deidara started to ask, but was interrupted by the loud, piercing sound of the doorbell.

"I'll go," Itachi offered and disappeared into the hallway before anyone else could even twitch a muscle.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows as Deidara craned his neck towards the door. "You didn't order take out already, did you?"

"Why would I order take out already? It's way too early for that," Naruto replied; his own eyes trained on the door.

"Who do you think is - "

"Hello, Sasuke."

The soft voice had Sasuke instantly shutting up and he stared shocked at the woman lingering in the doorway. Her dark hair was put up in a simple bun with some strands escaping and framing her face. She wore a simple, light blue dress which flared out around her knees and her heels added an extra inch to her height. She cocked her head to the left and smiled faintly.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart."

"Mother?"

* * *

Opening the cupboard on the most left, he put the box with cookies back on the shelf, pushing aside some jars of jam to make space. There was a new pot of tea being prepared on the stove and conversation in the living room was flowing smoothly.

Smiling Naruto closed the cupboard and walked back to the counter, waiting for the water to finish heating up. He had invited Mikoto after discussing it with Itachi a couple of days ago during his visit at their place. Sasuke hadn't talked with his mother ever since he had been thrown out by Fugaku – not because he no longer wanted to speak with his mother, but because he didn't want to make things awkward between her and Fugaku.

Knowing how much Sasuke missed his mother – even if he would never admit that aloud – Naruto had brought up the idea to Itachi to invite Mikoto for Sasuke's birthday. That way Sasuke would see his mother again and Mikoto would get the chance to finally meet Deidara.

She had been over the moon to have her two sons with her again after years of no contact with Itachi and had nearly cried when she realised that soon she would have two grandchildren.

Naruto felt a bit guilty for having sprung Mikoto on Deidara without warning the older blond, but after a moment of awkwardness, things had turned out okay and now Deidara was chattering with Mikoto as if he had known the woman for years, telling her about his job, his hobbies and the nursery.

What mattered the most to Naruto, though, was the look of pure happiness in Sasuke's eyes when he had embraced his mother, knowing he had made the right choice in inviting Mikoto.

The sound of approaching heels on the tiles had him straightening up and he turned around as Mikoto entered the kitchen. Her cheeks were quite pink and she was practically glowing; a smile constantly playing around the corners of her mouth.

"The tea's almost ready," he told her, thinking she had come into the kitchen to check up on the tea.

She nodded but didn't make any move to leave the kitchen. Instead she drew closer until she was standing only a foot away from him. "I want to thank you," she said softly, crossing her hands in front of her.

"Eh, what for?" he asked confused.

Her gaze flickered in the direction of the living room before she fixed it back on him. "For inviting me. For giving me the chance to have my two sons with me again." Her eyes dipped briefly towards his belly. "For giving me the chance to see my grandchildren grow up." Her smile wavered slightly and her eyes looked a bit damp.

"Of course! I'm not going to keep my son away from you. Why would I? You're his grandmother," Naruto uttered startled, resting one hand on his belly. Fugaku was a whole other matter, of course. Unless the older man did some serious grovelling and offered a sincere apology for all the shit he had put his sons through, Naruto would never allow him to meet his grandson. That was poison his baby could do without.

"Still, thank you. I know Fugaku didn't make it easy for you either," she murmured, her lips thinning.

He rolled his shoulders, feeling a bit awkward. "Nothing I couldn't handle," he mumbled. He had experienced worse than some poisonous remarks from an arrogant arse.

"What I want to thank you the most for, though," she suddenly said, looking at him with fierce eyes, "is for making my son happy. You've always stayed at his side, have his back no matter what and I've never seen him so happy as he is when he's around you."

Pretty certain his cheeks were becoming fire red with how hot they suddenly felt, Naruto spluttered embarrassed, "Well, I'm sure I piss him off sometimes as well, trust me." He released a jittery laugh, shuffling his feet.

She shook her head, not allowing herself to be deterred by his comment, and went on, "I see the way he looks at you and it's a look I always wished he would have when he finally found that person he wanted to share his life with."

"That's eh," he stammered, suddenly speechless.

She stepped forwards and grabbed his hands in hers, squeezing them gently. "You make him happy, Naruto-kun," she said sincerely. "I'm so glad my baby boy found someone like you. Thank you for making him happy." She embraced him, being careful with his belly, and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek before smiling and returning to the living room.

Leaving Naruto flustered, but smiling behind.

* * *

Naruto trudged inside the bedroom, the exhaustion and excitement of the day slowly creeping up on him. Deidara, Itachi and Mikoto had left around an hour ago, having stayed behind to help with the clean-up. It had been a wonderful day, but his back and feet were smarting a bit and he threw a longing look at the bed.

The door closing had him turning around and he smiled when Sasuke walked over to him. "So, good birthday?" he asked, looping his arms around the older man's neck.

Sasuke hummed, dropping a kiss on his lips and resting his hands on Naruto's hips. "Definitely can't complain," he murmured; his eyes soft and vulnerable. "Thank you for inviting my mother."

"Of course, I couldn't have you celebrating your birthday without your mother," Naruto replied; his fingers playing with the black strands. "I'm glad it made you happy."

Sasuke smiled absently, his eyes trailing over Naruto's form. "You tired?" he inquired. The curtains were half drawn and his eyes glimmered like obsidian in the dying sunlight.

Naruto cocked his head to the right and smiled. "Depends. Do you have something in mind?" he asked teasingly, remembering the promise he had made this morning.

Sasuke definitely had played nice.

"If you're up to it," Sasuke smirked.

"Please, as if I wouldn't be up to it with you," Naruto grinned and slid his hands down to Sasuke's wrists, closing his fingers around them and tugging him along to the bed. "So, have you decided yet how you want me? On my knees? On my back? Or – " A finger against his mouth hushed him and he blinked at the other man.

"Just you. I just want you," Sasuke breathed out, his eyes darkening as he traced his finger across Naruto's lower lip.

"That – that can be arranged," Naruto agreed and swallowed, the tension between them prickling his skin.

Their clothes rustled when they removed them; they were discarded carelessly on the floor, neither man interested in folding them up neatly. The bedsprings groaned softly when they sank down on the bed; the mattress dipping underneath their combined weight.

They didn't rush. Their hands trailed across each other's bodies, feeling muscles shift and tense up, nipples peaking underneath their ministrations; Sasuke was careful when he touched Naruto's chest, aware of just how sensitive the other man had become. The wet sounds of their kisses filled the room, mingled together with their breathing and the occasional moan or groan escaping them.

Everywhere Sasuke touched, felt hypersensitive, as if he could burst out of his skin any moment now. Still they didn't rush. The atmosphere between them was completely different from the one between them this morning; their pace was languid, the kisses they shared deep, but soft.

Their stones clicked together occasionally as their bodies moved gently against each other, but neither one paused to remove their necklace. All their attention was focused on making the other feel as good as they felt, discovering more ways to elicit a breathy whimper or a soft gasp whenever they touched a place _just right_.

When Sasuke prepared him, stretching him open, his movements were delicate, tender, as if he was afraid to hurt Naruto. He didn't need to worry; all Naruto felt was pleasure, brimming in the pit of his lower stomach before it spread out, warming him from the inside and causing shivers to dance across his spine whenever fingers hit that spot in exactly the right place.

"You ready?" Sasuke whispered when he surmised Naruto was prepared enough. They were the first words he had spoken since they had entered the bed and the rough edge to his voice had Naruto clenching his fingers into the sheets.

"Yeah, how do you want this?" Naruto murmured, antsy to continue, to have Sasuke filling him up, surrounding him completely with his presence.

"I think it'll be easier if you're on top," Sasuke answered thickly, caressing Naruto's stomach softly, flicking his eyes back up to look at the blond.

Naruto nodded and they shifted around until Sasuke was sitting propped up against some pillows with Naruto straddling his lap. Naruto rose up slightly, reached behind him and slipped his hand around Sasuke's cock, feeling it throb in his hold, slick with lubrication and pre come. Bracing himself, he slowly sank down, his eyes rolling back as he moaned lowly, feeling himself stretch around Sasuke's cock as his body accepted him. There was some slight resistance as his body involuntarily tensed up a bit, but he pushed through and then he was seated completely on Sasuke's lap; his hands shooting out to clamp down on Sasuke's shoulders, steadying himself.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked breathlessly; his own hands clenching Naruto's hips. There was a tremor going through his legs and he was clenching his teeth, obviously holding himself back from moving immediately.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Naruto murmured after a moment, allowing his body to adjust to the intrusion. Once he was completely relaxed, he started moving. First rocking back and forth, sharing soft kisses with his lover, groaning whenever Sasuke brushed against his prostate.

Then he started moving up and down, adjusting the angle to get Sasuke to touch his spot as much as possible, and the pleasure started becoming overwhelming. They were both breathing harshly, sweat coating their bodies, making their skin slick and making it easier for them to move their bodies. Sasuke started rolling his hips upwards, putting more force behind his thrusts and Naruto dug his fingers into strong shoulders, wave after wave of pleasure attacking him, wearing him down like the sea did with cliffs.

Cerulean blue locked onto burning black and he gasped, "Almost there."

Sasuke grunted, a look of fierce concentration etched onto his face and it only took a couple of more deep thrusts for the pleasure to explode and Naruto's scream was swallowed up by a fierce kiss, their hands clutching at each other as they shook and trembled, their climax washing over them. Sparks erupted behind Naruto's closed eyelids and his muscles clenched and relaxed over and over again, as his come splattered both their stomachs.

They remained in that position for a while, staring into each other's eyes and exchanging soft, light kisses as their breathing calmed down and their hearts stopped racing. A wet washcloth removed most of the evidence of their lovemaking; both men too tired to get up for a shower.

They laid back down on their sides, facing each other, their legs entwined and Naruto's belly pressed against Sasuke's stomach. Exhaustion was now steadily creeping up on Naruto, the events of the day catching up to him finally.

His eyes started drooping and his hand found Sasuke's, wrapping his fingers between his.

"I love you." The words were soft, only loud enough for his ears to catch them, but sincere and blue eyes shot open again; his heart skipping a beat before quickening.

Sasuke gazed back at him calmly, but his eyes were soft and he brushed his lips against Naruto's. "I really do."

"I love you too," Naruto whispered, unable to contain the smile spreading across his face.

When sleep finally claimed him, he was still smiling; his hand clutching Sasuke's and his baby moving gently in his belly.

A perfect ending to a perfect day.

* * *

"Sasuke? Who was at the door?" Naruto entered the hallway, wondering why it was taking so long for Sasuke to come back. His lower back was still aching a bit thanks to what they did last night and he rubbed his back absentmindedly.

Sasuke was still standing near the door, reading the paper in his hand with a deep frown.

"Special delivery by the post?" Naruto guessed and drew closer. Normally there was no post on Sunday, unless it was a special delivery and that only served to pique his curiosity. What had been pressing enough that someone would send it through special delivery?

"Yeah, Sakura sent this," Sasuke replied, sounding off.

The name of his former friend made Naruto freeze and he stared at the paper apprehensively. "What does it say?"

"She signed the divorce papers."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Does this count as a cliffhanger? Not really sure ...
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me. The next chapter should normally be posted on the fourth of May.
> 
> I see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter became a bit longer than I anticipated LOL It's also fairly light hearted aside from the slight drama at the start, so ... Enjoy it while it lasts, I guess? LOL
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and the kudos! I can't believe we're close to 900 kudos already! :O
> 
> Warnings: A bit of drama; minor time skips; short scene of breastfeeding
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 30_

"You think she's got something planned?"

The big fan was softly buzzing next to the couch, spreading its welcoming cool air through the warm room. Even with the curtains drawn, the heat of the summer seeped inside mercilessly. There was another fan spreading cold air through the kitchen and another one in the bedroom. The electricity bill would probably be out of the roof for this month, but it just wasn't doable staying inside the house without the fans. Outside was even worse, so staying out in the garden wasn't even an option.

Naruto stared at the redhaired man and gnawed down on his lower lip. "I … don't really know what to think of it," he replied slowly. After putting his glass on the table, he leant back into the couch, pulling up his legs. Gaara had shown up around an hour ago, having abandoned his manuscript and in 'need of a distraction' as he had put it. Naruto had given him a distraction in the form of telling him about the papers Sasuke had received from Sakura yesterday.

"It just seems too – easy I guess?" He shrugged uncomfortably, rubbing his stomach when his baby gave a rough push with his elbow. Clearly his baby boy wasn't too happy with his cramped space. "She was so pissed off last time I saw her and I didn't hear anything of her. Now she has just signed the papers without any fuss? It's just weird. It doesn't fit in with how angry she was."

He really wanted to believe that Sakura had come to terms with the fact that Sasuke no longer wanted her, but he couldn't help the uneasy feeling lingering like a leaden ball in his stomach. Sakura had never been the type to give up easily and for her to have signed the divorce papers without any more fuss after having sworn to take revenge … Something just didn't feel right. It was as if her signing those papers was just the calm before the storm, a way to lure him and Sasuke into false safety before launching her attack.

It saddened him to realise that he had become so suspicious, so wary of someone he once had considered to be one of his best friends.

"She could have finally come to her senses and might have realised she was fighting a lost battle," Gaara suggested, but the look in his eyes made clear that he wasn't really certain that was the case. His red shirt was plastered against his chest and he plucked at it before taking a sip of his cold lemonade.

"Maybe," Naruto replied unconvinced. He would have thought he was just being paranoid, but Sasuke didn't feel comfortable with Sakura's sudden 'surrender' either. They should be happy now that the divorce was finalised, but instead they were wondering what the catch was. That was definitely not how Naruto had imagined he would feel like once he got to hear that Sasuke was officially divorced.

A hand gripped his knee and he looked up, straight into solemn green eyes.

"Look, if she tries to mess with you, I'll mess with her twice as hard," Gaara said determinedly; his eyes darkening a tad.

And he would, Naruto didn't doubt that. It didn't matter that Sakura was a woman – Gaara didn't make any distinctions when it came to getting back at the people who hurt his loved ones.

"Thanks, Gaara," Naruto smiled, knowing it was futile to offer a protest. When Gaara got into his protective modus, there was no getting him out of it. His smile faded away when he took a closer look at the bags underlining deep green eyes. "How long has it been since you got some sleep?" he asked concerned. It had been quite some time since he had last seen Gaara with bags that deep.

The red haired man shrugged and looked away, rubbing his thumb over a small hole in his jeans. "A while," he admitted begrudgingly, looking chagrined, annoyed with himself.

Naruto uttered a soft sigh and lowered his legs back onto the floor, sitting up straight. "You could have come to me sooner. Especially if it's this bad," he added, trying not to sound like he was scolding the other man. Usually Gaara's mind shut down after a while, allowing him to get his much needed rest, but it seemed that this was one of those times when Gaara wouldn't be able to sleep without the comfort of his friend near him.

Gaara clucked his tongue and cast him an annoyed look. "I shouldn't have to rely on your presence every time it gets bad," he retorted irritated. "Figured you were having too much on your mind already, anyway."

"Having things on my mind doesn't mean I can't take a nap with you," Naruto said patiently and rose up, albeit with some slight difficulty. His big belly was throwing off his balance and it took him a few seconds to stand steadily on the floor. He held out his hand to Gaara, who eyed it with a frown. "Come on. You need some rest and I can always use an extra nap anyway. The hot weather and the baby aren't a good combination," he continued lightly.

Gaara pursed his lips, a troubled look passing his face as he contemplated the offer.

"We've got a guestroom; might as well make use of it," he prodded gently.

Another moment went by and then Gaara released a loud sigh and nodded, rising up from the couch. "Yeah, all right, lead the way," he muttered, sounding a bit put out.

Knowing Gaara only acted that way because he was embarrassed to be in need of Naruto's comfort again to catch some sleep, the blond man didn't say anything. Instead he just grasped Gaara's wrist and led him to the second floor where they had converted one of the three rooms there in a guestroom. The bed here was slightly smaller than the bed he shared with Sasuke, but it was still big enough for the two of them if they laid close together.

As Gaara climbed into the bed, pulling back the summer blanket, Naruto made his way to the window and drew the curtains close to darken the room and make it hopefully easier for his friend to fall asleep.

"Scoot over," he muttered when he approached the bed.

Gaara did, shuffling more towards the other side. Naruto laid down next to him with his back towards the other man, figuring that would make sleeping more comfortable for the both of them without his belly in the way. There was a pause before Gaara crept closer to him, resting his forehead against Naruto's shoulder.

With the blanket draped across his hips, the lingering heat outside and the warm presence of his friend behind him, it didn't take long for Naruto to nod off; his last semi-conscious thought being that he hoped Gaara would finally be able to catch some sleep.

* * *

Something was shaking his shoulder; not harshly but firm enough to pull him out of his slumber and he blinked, his head feeling fuzzy. When his eyes focused and were no longer bleary, he found himself staring straight into Sasuke's face.

Sasuke, whose lips were thinned and whose eyebrows were pulled together in a deep frown. Dark eyes flickered behind Naruto for a moment before they fixated on his face again and Sasuke pulled away, straightening up. "Kitchen," he simply murmured, but there was an edge to his voice that instantly swept away all traces of sleep in Naruto and he rose up, alert.

Before he could say anything, Sasuke was gone, out of the room, departing downstairs judging by the sounds of the staircase softly creaking.

His baby was nudging him, awake now as well, and he brushed his hand absently across his stomach, wondering what had Sasuke acting so dour. Then he winced and wondered how long he had been asleep for Sasuke to have returned home already. Damn it, he hadn't meant to sleep the entire afternoon away.

Suddenly he became aware of a small weight laying across his hip and he looked down, spotting Gaara's hand resting there, the tips of his fingers brushing against his stomach. Carefully he turned his head and saw that Gaara was still asleep, his face half mushed into the pillow; some red strands sticking to his forehead.

Slowly, as to not wake his friend now that he was finally getting some rest, he removed his hand and placed it on the bed, before slipping from between the blanket, taking care not to disturb Gaara too much.

After stretching his arms and legs a bit and stuffing his feet back into his slippers he silently left the room, keeping the door ajar. His footsteps were quiet on the wooden steps as he made his way down and he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. The look Sasuke had sported when he had woken him up hadn't promised anything good.

He found Sasuke leaning against the counter, his tie removed and the two buttons on the top of his shirt undone, showing a glimpse of his collarbone. His phone was charging on the counter next to him. A glance at the clock informed Naruto that it was already six thirty and he grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. Shit, he hadn't even made a start on dinner yet.

"Sorry, Sasuke, I didn't mean to sleep for that long," he sighed, closing the door behind him. He didn't think their conversation would be loud enough to disturb the man sleeping upstairs, but better safe than sorry.

"What the hell was that upstairs?" Sasuke asked abruptly, gesturing wildly towards the ceiling.

Taken aback by the odd question, Naruto paused next to the table and blinked. "What do you mean? Gaara and I were just taking a nap," he replied bewildered before adding a bit chagrined, "Although that nap went on longer than I wanted."

"A nap – that's what they call it these days?" Sasuke snorted derisively, shaking his head. His lips were twisted in an ugly sneer.

The blond man stared at him, mystified at the odd response. "Yes, a nap," he repeated slowly and frowned. "What else could we have been doing?"

"You tell me," was the cool answer and Sasuke crossed his arms; a closed off look appearing on his face.

At once realisation hit Naruto like a bucket of ice cold water. "You think I had sex with Gaara?" he said incredulously; his eyes widening when Sasuke just clenched his jaw, glaring at him.

"Oh wow, seriously? Gaara has insomnia, you dick! And sometimes that insomnia gets so bad that he needs someone else next to him to be able to fall asleep, okay? He trusts me the most so we occasionally take a nap together, big fucking deal!" he snapped, throwing his hands up. "We've been sharing a bed for years now and nothing ever happened! You want to know why? Because I'm not interested in him that way, never have been and never will be! He's not interested in me at all either, so you can untwist your panties, you arsehole! I love you and you think I would sleep with Gaara? Fuck you for even thinking I would ever cheat on you!"

He was breathing harshly by the time he stopped talking and he scowled at the floor, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. How could Sasuke even think he would cheat on him? What had he done to warrant that suspicion? He and Gaara hadn't even been half naked, let alone naked, in the bed!

"I'm sorry."

The unexpected apology rang loudly through the kitchen, breaking the heavy silence, and Naruto raised his head abruptly, staring at the dark haired man. Sasuke looked exhausted all of a sudden, no trace of anger left in his face. He ranked a hand through his hair before dropping his hand down, his shoulders slumping.

"I know you wouldn't cheat on me," he went on and grimaced. "I shouldn't have acted like that."

"No, you shouldn't have," Naruto agreed, eyeing him warily. "What's going on, Sasuke?"

"I talked to my lawyer today," he replied and the seemingly non sequitur answer threw Naruto a bit off. "I wanted to check whether she had really signed the papers."

"And?"

"She did, agreed to everything in them without contesting even one detail," Sasuke answered and sounded baffled and wary all at once.

Naruto worried his lip between his teeth. "You think she's planning something, despite signing the papers?"

"I don't know, Naruto," Sasuke said wearily, rubbing a hand over his neck. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she finally signed the damn papers, but it feels …"

"Off?" the blond man suggested and Sasuke nodded with a grimace.

"Yeah, off. I had expected her to fight with me on at least one detail, but she just agreed to the terms with no further demands of her own," he said and pursed his lips. "It's been bugging me all day to be honest and when I came home to find you sleeping in the same bed with him … It just – became too much I guess. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that." He had the grace to look ashamed at least.

"No, you really shouldn't have," Naruto said firmly and crossed the small distance between them. "And if you ever accuse me of cheating again, I will kick your arse. But," he paused and sighed, grabbing Sasuke's hands and tangling their fingers together, "Sakura signing the papers has been bugging me too," he admitted.

"I won't," Sasuke promised, squeezing his fingers briefly. "I don't know whether she's indeed planning something or not, but keep an eye out, all right? Just in case."

"Yeah, sure." He was quiet for a while before he smiled faintly and met Sasuke's eyes. "Let's have a do over, okay? Forget your stupid jealous streak and all that."

"A do over?" Sasuke repeated bemused, raising an eyebrow, ignoring the blond's last remark.

"Yeah. Welcome home, Sasuke," Naruto grinned, sliding his arms around his lover's neck.

Hands came to rest on his lower back and a responding smile formed slowly across pale rose lips. "I'm home."

* * *

The rest of the week passed by uneventfully. There was no sign of Sakura and Naruto spent his days switching between working on the nursery – enduring Sasuke's scolding whenever he noticed in the evening that furniture had changed places again – and visiting Deidara, who was counting down the days until his C-section. Literally counting down, because he was crossing off the days on the calendar.

Talking with Deidara reminded him that he needed to make an appointment with Tsunade soon for his last check-up and he made a mental note to ask Sasuke when he was available.

* * *

On Monday Sasuke didn't leave for work.

"You're not going to work today?" Naruto inquired curiously when Sasuke didn't make any move to put on his tie, jacket or shoes.

The older man glanced up from the newspaper. "No, I brought some files with me to work here," he replied, turning the page and taking a sip of his coffee. "Our house is closer to the hospital than the office is."

_Ah, of course_. Smiling knowingly, Naruto stood up to clean the table. "Itachi's going to call you when the baby is born? Or do we go there earlier?"

Deidara had been particularly antsy the last couple of days, both impatient and apprehensive for his upcoming C-section, and it had seemed for the best if Naruto didn't ask too many questions during his visits. He knew the C-section was planned for today – this morning even if he wasn't mistaken – but Deidara hadn't mentioned whether he'd want them to visit him before the surgery or afterwards.

"He's going to call when the baby's born. He didn't think they would be good company before that," Sasuke said dryly. "He was also the one insisting I work from home, so that we could be quicker at the hospital."

"Not that you mind, of course," Naruto teased and grinned when dark eyes scowled. On his way to the fridge, he trailed his hand over Sasuke's shoulder. "It's okay to admit that you can't wait to meet the baby, you know."

"When did I ever claim otherwise?" Sasuke muttered and grabbed Naruto's hand to press a kiss on it. "I just don't want to deal with Itachi when he's this worked up. He's a nightmare like this; you'd think that would have changed after becoming older," he scoffed, closing the last page of the newspaper and folding it up.

"I wonder if you'll be any better once it's our turn," Naruto murmured underneath his breath, putting the milk back into the fridge.

"What was that?" the dark haired man asked sharply.

"Nothing, just talking to myself," Naruto smiled innocently, closing the fridge.

Dark eyes narrowed in suspicion before Sasuke relaxed. "We haven't decided on a name yet," he remarked, tapping his fingers on the newspaper. "What do you say: you want to look at names with me and make a list?"

A blond eyebrow rose up in surprise. "I thought you needed to work?"

Sasuke shrugged and stood up, pushing his chair back against the table. "One day of missing work won't hurt," he said flippantly. "They can survive without me for today."

And he absolutely wasn't in the mood to work – not until they had had the chance to meet the new family member anyway. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but Sasuke was probably feeling nearly as antsy as Itachi and Deidara were feeling now. Admittedly, Naruto wasn't faring that much better either.

Arguing about names seemed like the perfect way to distract themselves.

"Sure," he grinned. "Let's go make the list."

* * *

"We're not going to name him Menma, Naruto," Sasuke sighed, scowling at him half-heartedly as he crossed the name off the list.

"What's wrong with Menma?" Naruto threw up his hands. They were using Sasuke's laptop to look through a database of names and they had been writing down names for a couple of hours now, only taking breaks to fill their cups with coffee or tea – and in Naruto's case: sometimes getting up to go to the toilet when the pressure against his bladder became too much.

Their current list contained a lot of crossed out names by now, courtesy of the both of them as they kept arguing about the other man's choices. The blond hadn't expected that choosing a name for their son would be so difficult.

Sasuke stared at him incredulously. "We are not going to name our son after a topping for ramen!"

Naruto pouted, crossing his arms on top of his belly. "Well, my name is related to food as well, so what's wrong with that?" he questioned defensively.

"How can you even - " Sasuke cut himself off when his phone started ringing loudly, vibrating on the table and he snatched it up quickly. "Itachi?"

At the name of the older Uchiha, Naruto sat up, his hands clenched around the laptop, as he stared at Sasuke; his heart quickening slightly. There could only be one reason why Itachi was calling his brother now, right?

"Everything went okay?" Sasuke questioned, sounding a bit tersely, and didn't react when Naruto squeezed his shoulder softly. Whatever Itachi's answer was, it must have been a positive one, because the tension drained visibly out of Sasuke's shoulders and he slumped them as he rubbed his nose. "All right, yeah, we're on our way."

"Is everything okay with Deidara-kun and the baby? Is the baby finally here? How did it go?" Naruto fired his questions at his lover, feeling a tad nervous. He didn't think the surgery had gone badly – Sasuke wouldn't be sitting here so calmly if that had been the case – but not knowing exactly had him feeling a bit antsy.

Sasuke's smile settled his nerves immediately. "Everything went fine," he informed the blond man, taking over his laptop to click away the webpages and log off. "Deidara's still a bit woozy, but he's already back into his room with their baby. We can go see them now if we want."

"Of course we want that! Come on, let's go!" Naruto urged him, standing up as quickly as he could without toppling over again.

Sasuke smirked and shook his head, but put his laptop away and in less than five minutes they were out of the door, into Sasuke's car to make the drive to the hospital.

Their discussion about names was forgotten for the moment in favour of meeting their newest family member.

* * *

The baby turned out to be a girl. A very adorable girl with soft, black hair covering her head and pinkish, chubby cheeks. She was wrapped in a lilac blanket; her tiny hands balled into fists and resting on top of the blanket. When she opened her eyes to blink sleepily, the colour of deep blue was revealed.

"She's so cute," Naruto whispered in awe as he lowered himself into a chair next to the bed. "You're going to have to chase away a lot of guys later on, I'm willing to bet," he added with a soft laugh.

"Well, she does have our good looks, un," Deidara smirked, but his eyes were tender, filled with love, as he gazed down upon her. His hair was pulled back together in a high ponytail and he was wearing a loose shirt with buttons; his baby was resting against his chest.

Sasuke came to stand next to Naruto, resting his hand on the back of his chair as he leant forwards to get a better look at his niece. "What's her name?" he asked curiously, smiling a bit when she yawned and smacked her lips loudly.

"Aihime," Itachi replied; his eyes trained on his daughter. He was seated at the edge of the bed with his hand gripping Deidara's ankle through the thin hospital blanket. Some strands of hair had escaped his ponytail, framing his face.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow and stared at his brother. "Aihime?" he repeated bemused before snorting. "You can't make any commentary about the name we choose for our son after picking out that name for my goddaughter."

Dark eyes shifted to the younger man and Itachi frowned. "What's wrong with the name?" he demanded, sounding a tad offended.

As the two brothers started arguing about the name with Deidara listening half amused, half annoyed, Naruto's attention drifted away from the conversation. Gazing at the baby girl bundled up in her blanket, he suddenly realised that this would soon be him. One day in the near future – not that far away anymore, not really, he mused as he caressed his belly slowly – it would be him lying in a hospital bed, his baby boy resting against his chest with Sasuke besides him as they introduced their son to the rest of the family.

It was almost unbelievable how close he and Sasuke were to holding their own baby in their arms. That thought made him a bit lightheaded and he cradled his belly with his right arm.

"All right, you two, shut up," Deidara ordered and both dark haired men quietened down immediately. "My daughter's name is Aihime and that's not going to change, end of discussion, un. Now, do you want to hold your goddaughter or not?"

Dark eyes widened a notch, but Sasuke inclined his head and came closer, holding out his arms. Itachi placed Aihime in his arms and helped adjust her. It was clear from Sasuke's frozen deer in headlight look that he was unsure how to properly hold the baby and he hissed warningly when Itachi pulled his hands away.

"You'll be fine, otouto," Itachi smirked and the younger man scowled at him before directing his attention to the little girl in his arms.

"She's beautiful," he marvelled quietly, carefully stroking her cheek. "Did you call mother?"

Itachi nodded, sinking back down on the bed. "Yeah, she's on her way now. She was out of town because one of her friends needed her help, but as soon as I called her, she dropped everything. She should be here in a little while normally."

"Do you want to hold her, Naruto-kun?" Deidara asked after a moment, sitting up a bit straighter and batting away his fiancé's hands when they reached out to assist him. "It's your niece too after all, un." He winked.

"Sure, I'd love to," Naruto grinned; his heart skipping a beat at hearing that.

Itachi assisted in handing Aihime over to Naruto and then the blue eyed man was holding the little girl in his own arms, being careful with how he held her. She felt impossibly small and fragile and he tightened his hold carefully.

"She's so tiny," he murmured, surprised at how little and light she felt. She stared back at him with her deep blue eyes and her mouth was moving soundlessly.

Deidara snorted. "She doesn't sound tiny when she screams, trust me. And she definitely didn't feel tiny when she was still in me, un," he said dryly. "Makes me glad I didn't have to push her out like women have to."

Naruto chuckled, but agreed with the older blond. His own baby boy felt big in his stomach and he couldn't imagine pushing a full sized baby out of his body – even if Aihime seemed so small.

The next moment she suddenly started crying, a loud piercing sound that startled Naruto badly. "Holy crap, she's loud!" he blurted out surprised.

"I told you. And no cursing around my baby, un," Deidara chided, holding out his arms. "Give her to me, she's probably hungry."

"She's just born, she won't understand any curse words yet," Naruto mumbled underneath his breath, but handed her back to Deidara, who undid the first couple of buttons of his light blue shirt, baring his chest.

He fussed with her a bit until she latched on to one of his nipples and started drinking; her tiny hand resting against his skin and her eyes fixated on Deidara's face. He was gazing back at her with a soft smile, caressing her cheek lightly with his thumb.

Biting his lip, Naruto wondered aloud, "Does it feel weird – her drinking from you like that?"

"Nah, not really," Deidara answered and shrugged lightly, careful not to disturb her. "It makes me feel closer to her, though."

"Oh." Leaning back in his chair, he felt Sasuke's hand resting on his shoulder and he absentmindedly gripped it, lacing their fingers together. As the others started talking about possibly organising a small get together after Deidara would be allowed to return home, Naruto remained mostly quiet, sunken in contemplative thought.

* * *

"I want to breastfeed our baby," Naruto blurted out later that afternoon as they drove back to their house, cutting off Sasuke's musings about whether or not Aihime would grow up to be very spoilt with such a name.

Visiting hours were over and they had been kicked out by a stern looking, red haired nurse. They had spent a couple of hours in the hospital, keeping the small family company together with Mikoto, who had been over the moon to hold her first grandchild. Aihime had fallen asleep after she had eaten and they had been careful to keep their voices down. Naruto was pretty certain Deidara would have maimed everyone who woke up his daughter, accidentally or not, regardless of the fact that he had just undergone surgery.

At his declaration, the car twisted a bit to the right before Sasuke quickly regained control over it again. They were nearly home and the dark haired man remained silent until he had parked the car properly on the driveway, while Naruto twisted his fingers nervously. He had been thinking of breastfeeding his baby for quite some time now after hearing it was possible and witnessing Deidara feeding his own baby like that, but he hadn't had found a good moment to discuss it with Sasuke yet.

Blurting it out in the car without any prior warning probably wasn't one of his better ideas, though.

As soon as he had shut down the motor and the car descended into silence, Sasuke twisted around in his seat to face the younger man. "If you want to breastfeed our baby, then that's okay," he retorted easily.

"You don't mind?" Naruto worried his lower lip between his teeth.

A dark eyebrow rose up. "Why would I mind that? In the end it's your decision to make, though. Either you breastfeed or we buy formula – either one is okay with me."

Relaxing again – he hadn't really thought Sasuke would have reacted negatively, but one could never know – he remarked, "You don't seem surprised that we can breastfeed too. _I_ didn't even know it was possible until I asked Deidara-kun about it."

"Well, you know," Sasuke replied vaguely, waving his hand as his cheeks gained a suspicious light flush. "I just read some books. To prepare for the baby and all that."

Naruto stared at him, eyes wide, awed that Sasuke had taken the time to actually read the books which were supposed to prepare everyone for parenthood. The image of Sasuke reading those books, pouring over the information and soaking everything up just to prepare himself for the baby … That image was too much and he grinned widely, his cheeks aching with the force of his smile, and he leant across to kiss Sasuke.

"I love you," he murmured, feeling their baby pushing one of his fists against his hand.

Dark eyes blinked before a small smile unfurled across Sasuke's lips and he placed his hand on Naruto's belly, caressing it slowly. "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Don't expect the light heartedness to continue for long ^^ We're nearing the ending, so prepare yourselves!
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review! The next chapter should normally appear on the 18th of May.
> 
> I see you all back in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter turned out longer than I initially expected, but well, I suppose that's good news for you LOL
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and the kudos! We're even slowly reaching 1000 kudos for this story! O_O
> 
> Warnings: some time skips and me taking some liberties with biology LOL
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 31_

"So, how are you feeling now?" Naruto inquired, quirking a quick smile when Itachi handed him a glass of cold apple juice.

Deidara shrugged, rocking Aihime gently back and forth. She had just fed and burped on a towel he had placed across his shoulder and was now slowly dozing off. "Can't complain. I can't go run a marathon any time soon, but the stitches aren't bothering me either, un," he replied and grimaced. "I'm just glad I'm out of the hospital. The scent was getting on my nerves."

"The scent or the nurses?" Naruto questioned dryly. He and Sasuke had gone to visit Deidara every day until he was released from the hospital and every day without fail Deidara had argued with a nurse. He had only been there for four days, but he had had many arguments about keeping Aihime with him in the room. The nurses had wanted to bring her to another room so that Deidara could sleep without her waking him, but the blond man had been adamant that Aihime stayed with him. The nurses' insistence hadn't been a match for Deidara's stubbornness and finally they had realised there was no point in arguing.

"The scent, like I said, un," Deidara sniffed, narrowing his eyes.

Naruto raised his hands with a grin and crossed his ankles; absently stroking his stomach when his baby started moving around again.

"Were you able to get an appointment with Tsunade-sensei?" Itachi asked, settling down next to Deidara; his arm slipping around to lay across the blond's shoulders.

Naruto perked up and smiled. "Yeah, actually! My appointment's today; apparently someone cancelled and she gave me their hour instead."

If everything went well – and god, he hoped it would, because he couldn't bear to think otherwise – then this would be his last check-up with Tsunade. After today he would only see her again when it was time for his C-section and the date for that surgery would be decided on today.

"When's the appointment then?" Deidara ceased his rocking slowly, casting a wary glance at his daughter. She remained quiet, however, and fast asleep against his chest.

"In an hour," Naruto replied, casting a quick glance at the clock. "Sasuke said he'd be picking me up here. He had some files to check or something, but he'd be here on time."

"How is he settling in at the company?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, looking at Itachi curiously. "Shouldn't you already know that? Considering he's working with you?" he pointed out.

"Whenever I ask, he just says he's okay," Itachi answered, clucking his tongue. "I want to know whether he's really okay or not."

"Well, he seems to have settled in well," Naruto said slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I know he got into an argument with some guy a couple of days ago – what was his name again? Haden?"

"Hidan?"

"Yeah, that one! Anyway, he said he got into an argument with him about some kind of client, but aside from that, he seems to like working at your company."

Itachi nodded contemplatively. "He's got nothing to worry about when it comes to Hidan. That man just likes to argue with everyone. He's all bark and no bite," he murmured. "I'm glad to hear he's settling in well, though. I wasn't sure whether he would, considering some of the people working there can be rather … intense at times."

"That's putting it mildly, un," Deidara snorted.

"Well, it's not like your family was less intense," Naruto murmured and Itachi smiled wryly.

"How's it going with choosing a name for your baby, un?" Deidara asked; his eyes containing a glimmer of excitement. "You decided yet?"

"We've been making a list, but we can't agree," Naruto chuckled sheepishly. "I'll like one name, but he won't like it and vice versa. I think it's going to be a while before we finally find a name. I just hope we decide on it before the baby comes."

"What's one of the names you got in mind?" Deidara questioned curiously.

"Well, I thought about Menma, but - " Naruto started before being cut off by Itachi's snort. Scowling at the older man, he said snippily, "What? You got a problem with that too?"

"Well, I can definitely understand why my little brother would be reluctant to name his son like that," Itachi replied amused; his dark eyes glinting.

Deidara looked like he was supressing an amused smile. "It would be fitting considering your name, though, un," he said, carefully readjusting himself on the couch.

Blue eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not sure whether you're on my side now or not," he complained and huffed, crossing his arms on top of his belly. There was nothing wrong with the name 'Menma'; why did everyone have to be so difficult about it?

The sound of a car door slamming shut had all three of them turning their heads to the street side. Aihime stirred for a moment, but remained asleep; only curling her fingers into a fist.

"Doesn't that sound like Sasuke-kun's car, un?" Deidara wondered.

"Sounds like it," Itachi agreed and stood up. "I'll go take a look. Can't have him waking up Aihime with the doorbell."

"Already had that happening?" Naruto inquired amused, taking a sip from his drink before placing it back down on the table.

Cobalt blue eyes rolled in exasperation. "A neighbour of us last night, asking us whether we'd like to come to a gathering at his place next week." He wrinkled his nose, looking annoyed. "I had just managed to put her down to sleep when that idiot ignored the sign at the door not to ring the doorbell, but instead knock. And here I thought everyone knew how to read, un," he sneered.

"I take it you're not going to the gathering then?" Naruto asked lightly.

"Not after that stupid move."

"Naruto, you're ready?" Sasuke stepped into the room, making a beeline for him to greet him with a kiss.

"Yeah, I'm ready," the blond man replied, accepting the kiss with a smile.

"You can stay for a while longer if you want, un," Deidara offered.

"I'd like to, but there's more traffic than I expected and I don't want to park too far away from the practice," Sasuke explained, before quirking a small smile at the sleeping baby. Inclining his head towards her, he asked, "How is she doing?"

"At the moment sleeping like an angel," Deidara replied dryly. "And I'd like to keep it like that, so no sudden loud noises, un."

"She's doing well," Itachi reassured his brother.

"Good to hear." Sasuke nodded before giving Naruto an inquiring look. "You ready to go? It's the last check-up."

There was a glimmer of excitement in his eyes which was echoed in Naruto's grin when he stood up and said, "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

In his excitement to see his baby once more before he was ready to join the world, Naruto had forgotten one crucial thing: Tsunade didn't know yet that he had decided to keep the baby. Nor did she know that he and Sasuke were now together.

_Fuck._

"Well, everything seems to be fine with the baby," Tsunade murmured as she peered at the screen, moving the transducer slowly back and forth across Naruto's rounded belly. "You've experienced any false contractions so far?"

"Nope, none of those so far," Naruto replied, watching – despite his nerves – quite enraptured at the screen where his baby was fussing around as much as he still could with his limited amount of available space.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Should he?"

She shrugged and clucked her tongue. "Not necessarily. Some people experience them, others don't."

"Deidara-kun had them," Naruto murmured absentmindedly, still engrossed in what their baby was doing.

She inclined her head. "Like I said, some have them, others don't. It all depends." She let them watch the screen for a moment longer, before shutting off the monitor and handing some paper towels to Naruto to dry off his stomach.

Once they were all sitting at her desk again, she said, "Unless something happens or you have any concerns, this will be your last check-up before your C-section. Now, the baby is fine, so I don't foresee any problems for the rest of your pregnancy."

"Thank god for that," Naruto muttered and felt Sasuke's hand closing around his own, resting on his thigh.

She offered a quick smile and took her planner, opening it and browsing through the pages quickly. "Seeing as you haven't experienced any issues so far, you should have no problems carrying him to full term. With that in mind, is it okay with you if we plan your C-section for the seventh of October?"

She glanced up with a questioning look. "It's on a Friday. I would schedule you in a week sooner, but my schedule is filled up completely until that day," she explained with a grimace.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look before they turned back to the doctor and Naruto shrugged. "That's fine with me. Not like you can help it that you're fully booked," he smiled weakly. Truth be told, while he was looking forward to finally having his baby in his arms, the thought of being cut open didn't sit well with him.

Sasuke, however, frowned and leant forwards. "What happens if he goes in labour before the seventh?"

Huh. Naruto blinked and scratched the bridge of his nose. He hadn't considered the idea that he might go into labour sooner than the agreed upon date of the C-section, but he realised he should have. It wasn't as if babies always came on the right schedule after all.

"If that happens, you go to the hospital and you call me. The surgery will happen a bit sooner then," Tsunade answered and shrugged, appearing unbothered.

"Does that mean – does that mean that you know, my water or so can break?" Naruto asked in a strangled voice as the idea suddenly popped up in his mind, fidgeting slightly.

She quirked an eyebrow. "Well, yes, that can happen. Just like with women; the only difference being that you can't push the baby out, though your water can break."

"Hm," Naruto grimaced, not entirely certain what to think of the idea that his water could break if the baby decided to come earlier after all. Hopefully he wouldn't have to find out how that would feel.

"Now, I would ask whether you'd want to pass that information through to Sakura, but I've been informed that she's no longer part of the arrangement," Tsunade said, her eyes growing sharper as she leant back in her chair and crossed her arms underneath her chest.

Naruto froze, his heart skipping a beat. Next to him Sasuke stilled and his fingers tightened around the blond's – the only sign that the doctor's remark had taken him off guard.

"You know about that?" Naruto asked; his voice higher than he would have liked. He shifted on his chair, feeling highly uncomfortable underneath her assessing stare.

"What? That you decided to keep the baby, that she and Uchiha are no longer married, and that you two are a couple now?" Tsunade snorted, gazing at him unimpressed. "Yeah, I know all about that. When the hell were you going to talk to me about this, you damn brat?"

"I just – I didn't know how. I was worried how you'd react," he admitted quietly, rubbing his hand over his thigh. He glanced away; some shame wriggling about in his stomach. "I know you were against this whole thing from the start and I just didn't want to hear you say 'I told you so'."

She was rubbing her temples when he chanced a glance at her. "I was against this whole arrangement, because I've witnessed several times before what it does to people," she murmured and sighed. "It almost never ends well, because people get attached. I know you, Naruto, and I knew you would get attached to the baby. How could you not? It's normal to get attached to a baby when you feel him or her growing inside of you."

When she looked at him, her eyes were soft, sympathetic and that unbalanced him, because he had expected her to be pissed. "But you're also loyal to your friends and I could only imagine how much heartbreak you'd go through to make them happy, including giving up your child. _That's_ why I was against this – because I didn't want to see you get hurt and there are no real winners in this kind of arrangement."

Then she smiled wryly and added, "I have to admit, though, that while I had expected you to become attached to the baby, I didn't expect you to form a couple with him." She nodded at Sasuke and her eyes cooled a notch. "Especially not considering you're friends with the both of them."

Was it Naruto's imagination or was there a hint of disapproval underlying her voice?

Before he could say something, Sasuke spoke, "I was the one who came on to him. Not the other way around." His eyes narrowed slightly and he gave her a challenging look.

She narrowed her eyes in return and leant forwards, supporting her elbows on her desk. "You know, you're not exactly endearing yourself to me with that comment," she said coolly. "I don't tend to be impressed with people who cheat on their spouses."

"Baa-chan," Naruto said warningly, frowning. He understood she wasn't happy with this, but it wasn't as if Sasuke was the only one at fault here. "It's not like I stopped him, so if you're going to blame Sasuke, you have to blame me too."

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Who's talking about blame here? As long as you're happy, then that's all what matters to me," she said before addressing Sasuke, "But I can assure you that if you hurt this brat in any way, I'm going to make you regret it, understood?"

"Baa-chan," Naruto groaned, rubbing his hands over his face in exasperation.

"Understood," Sasuke said, pursing his lips together.

"Okay, enough about this," Naruto sighed. "Did Sakura tell you about us?"

"No, I haven't heard her since your previous check-up. Jiraiya told me about it," she answered.

Naruto reared back in surprise. "You know Jiraiya?" he asked shocked. "Why did you never tell me about that?" he couldn't help but add accusingly.

"You never asked," she replied dryly and shook her head. "We go way back, him and I, but we only reconnected since last year."

"Since last year?" he murmured as Tsunade ended their visit with giving them the pictures of the ultrasound.

Last year was the time Jiraiya started being mysterious about the person he was meeting up with, claiming it was nothing. Unless he was meeting up with yet another woman …

Well, well, it looked like Naruto had finally found the answer to his question.

* * *

Two weeks later Jiraiya invited them for dinner, cashing in on the promise Naruto had made when he had come clean about his relationship with Sasuke.

"So how worried do I have to be?" Sasuke muttered as they made their way to the restaurant.

It wasn't a high class restaurant, thankfully, because Naruto had nothing to wear for that particular type of restaurant, but one he had frequented before with his godfather. The food was really good, the staff friendly, and overall the atmosphere was great, but he couldn't completely relax as they took the couple of steps leading to the entrance of the establishment.

This whole evening reeked too much of a 'meeting the parents for the first time' type of deal and he had to supress a hysterical chuckle at that thought.

"I have no clue," he answered honestly, smiling absently at the pretty waitress who guided them to the table Jiraiya had reserved for them. "I guess it'll depend on his mood."

"That doesn't inspire much confidence," Sasuke muttered underneath his breath.

"You'll be fine," the blond man reassured him and quickly pecked his cheek. "You know him, he knows you; this is just a dinner. Nothing more."

"You say that now," Sasuke mumbled darkly.

Blue eyes rolled and Naruto wanted to retort, but they arrived at their table and Jiraiya rose up from his chair; his large form rather intimidating against the cosiness of the restaurant.

"Kid, how are you doing?" Jiraiya asked jovially, clasping his shoulder before nodding a bit more reserved at Sasuke. "Sasuke, how are you?"

"I'm doing fine," Naruto reassured the older man amidst Sasuke's grunt of "I'm okay". "Got my last check-up two weeks ago and everything's okay with the baby."

"Yeah?" They all sat down; Jiraiya on one side of the table and Sasuke and Naruto next to each other across from him. "Got a date pinned for your C-section?"

"The seventh of October," the blond answered, stroking his belly a couple of times. "The doctor's fully booked until then."

"What would you like to drink?" A waiter popped up next to them, posing his pen above his notepad with a look of expectation in his dark brown eyes. His gaze momentarily flickered towards Naruto's belly before focusing on their faces again.

While Jiraiya ordered a red wine – of which the name was something Naruto couldn't hope to ever pronounce decently – Sasuke chose water and Naruto stuck to apple juice.

"I bet you're looking forward to actually hold your baby in your arms," Jiraiya chuckled; his dark eyes twinkling. He opened the menu the waiter had left behind and waved his hand. "Order whatever you want; it's on me tonight."

Out of reflex Naruto wanted to protest, but he knew better than to try to convince the older man. If Jiraiya said he was paying, he would pay, no matter how much of a protest the blond would put up. It was easier and less time and energy consuming to just go along with it.

"You bet I am," he smiled instead, grabbing his own menu. "I'll be glad once I can pull my shoes on again without having to contort myself into weird positions to do it."

Especially in this heat, pulling on shoes, even something as simple as sandals, was a tiring task with his big belly in the way.

"You could ask me for help," Sasuke said; a frown marring his forehead. His menu was open at the dishes with fish as the main ingredient.

A snort escaped the blond before he could stop himself. "I'm not going to ask you to help me get my shoes on, that's ridiculous," he huffed. "It's not like it's become completely impossible for me either. Just don't expect me to have my shoes on within ten seconds now."

The dark haired man opened his mouth – presumably to protest, Naruto couldn't imagine what else he would say with regards to this topic – but their waiter appeared at their table again, carrying a tray with their drinks.

"Have you decided what you want to eat?" the man asked friendly, placing their drinks in front of them before sticking the tray between his arm and side and picking up his notebook.

After the three of them had passed through their order, the conversation shifted to their jobs – in Jiraiya's and Sasuke's case – and the plans for the nursery and Naruto's painting.

Conversation flowed smoothly for a while as they enjoyed their dinner – Sasuke side-eyeing Naruto for having chosen ramen, but he made no attempt to protest the blond's choice. Which was for the best, because Naruto wasn't planning on letting him take away his ramen.

They were enjoying dessert – with Jiraiya keeping to a coffee only – when the older man leant forwards with an oddly solemn look on his face.

"I have to be honest, Sasuke, I never expected you to become my godson's boyfriend," he remarked casually; his tone in contrast to the intense scrutiny he was giving the dark haired man.

Naruto paused, leaving his spoon in the chocolate sundae he had ordered, and looked at Jiraiya with narrowed eyes, not entirely liking the direction the conversation was taking.

"To be completely honest, I hadn't expected it either," Sasuke replied blankly, taking another bite of his matcha ice cream.

Jiraiya appeared a bit taken aback, clearly not having expected that particular answer. "That's fair I guess," he said after a pause and cocked his head to the right. "What I don't consider fair is keeping Naruto as your lover on the side instead of divorcing your wife first." His smile was thin and sharp, devoid of any humour.

"Jiraiya, don't!" Naruto hissed aggravated and glowered at him. "I already explained what happened. Did you really invite us to dinner just to pull this kind of shit?"

"Just making conversation, nothing more," Jiraiya replied in a clipped tone, never once removing his gaze from the dark haired man.

"That's not just conversation, that's - "

"It's fine, Naruto," Sasuke cut him off calmly and placed his hand on Naruto's knee. "It wasn't fair, no," he agreed. "My ex-wife's partly to blame for the process being drawn out, but I won't deny I screwed up. I should have waited until the divorce was finalised when I realised I had fallen for Naruto, but frankly, I didn't want to. I was too impatient to wait."

He took a deep breath and his fingers tightened around Naruto's knee. "I'm not proud that I kept Naruto waiting for that long, but I also couldn't not act on my feelings as soon as I came to terms with them."

Naruto sat there stumped. Sasuke was usually rather reserved around people he didn't know well and while he and Jiraiya had spoken several times before, it wasn't as if they were anywhere near close. Not close enough to warrant this open honesty at least.

The white haired man squinted at him suspiciously. "I want to believe you, Sasuke, but people who cheated once, tend to cheat again, so you can understand why I'm not completely comfortable with you and Naruto being together, given the circumstances."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Ero-sennin," Naruto groaned annoyed, rubbing his hands over his face aggravatedly. "And whatever happens between Sasuke and me is between us," he added irritated.

"I know you're not a kid anymore, Naruto, but that doesn't mean I can't still look out for you," Jiraiya countered, frowning at him.

"I understand your concerns, but I can assure you that I'm not planning on hurting Naruto in any way," Sasuke said quietly; his dark eyes intense. "Sakura and I … That was completely different from what I feel for Naruto. It doesn't come anywhere near close to what Naruto and I share."

The corners of his mouth turned up in a wry smile. "You distrust my intentions, that's fine; I can understand that. I'm not going away, though. No matter what you say or think about it, I'm serious about Naruto and that's not going to change."

Silence reigned for a while at their table, while the rest of the restaurant was filled with quiet chatter, the occasional laugh, and people going back and forth between the tables. Chairs scraped as they were shoved back and the door hinges creaked softly as people entered and left the building.

Blue eyes switched back and forth warily between Sasuke and Jiraiya, aware of the subtle tension hanging between them. It made Naruto huff softly in annoyance, swirling his spoon in the melted remains of his sundae ice cream. He should have known his godfather would take this dinner as an opportunity to grill Sasuke, but he had foolishly thought the older man wouldn't go that far.

"Well," Jiraiya broke the silence, leaning back in his chair with crossed arms. "I suppose I'll just have to wait and see," he grunted, not entirely convinced, but he didn't continue the interrogation at least.

Naruto would take that small blessing. Anything to get rid of this weird tension between them. A thought shot through his mind and he straightened up, a smirk settling on his face.

Jiraiya instantly grew wary, furrowing his eyebrows. "What?"

_Payback time_. "Well, you got your interrogation moment, now it's time for mine, don't you think?"

"What are you talking about now, brat?"

"I found out who your mysterious woman is," Naruto grinned gleefully and next to him Sasuke shook his head with a snort. "So when were you going to tell me you're meeting up with Tsunade, hm? You know, my baa-chan and my doctor?"

Jiraiya's tomato red face and subsequent spluttering more than made up for his stupid interrogation. _Served him right._

* * *

The weeks passed rather uneventfully after that particular dinner. He and Sasuke kept arguing about names, neither of them prepared to give in. At this rate their baby would still be nameless by the time he was here.

September had just rolled into the country when Naruto declared the nursery finished. The walls were painted, his drawings decorating two of them; the closet filled with baby clothes both bought by them and given to them by Mikoto; a shelf with picture books and another shelf containing some stuffed toys. A wooden chest already contained some toys even though it would be a while yet before their son would be able to play with them.

After some deliberation the crib had been moved into their bedroom, so that they would still have their baby close with them at night. Bottles were waiting in the cupboard, together with some pacifiers still in their package. Two large boxes of diapers had been put next to the changing table; some other baby necessities including powder stood on the table.

As his due date drew slowly nearer, he spent time with Gaara – who visited him often - Deidara and Aihime and had Jiraiya popping by occasionally. The older man still refused to admit he wanted to ask out Tsunade – "We're just reconnecting, brat. We haven't seen each other for several years." – but Naruto wasn't an idiot. For Jiraiya to spend so much time with one woman – there was more behind that than just reconnecting with a friend from the past. Especially given the fond look which always appeared in his eyes whenever he said her name. Naruto just needed to be patient, he guessed. They would get there in their own time.

* * *

The days went by and with them, Naruto started relaxing a bit more each time. For weeks after Sakura had signed the divorce papers, he had waited for the other shoe to drop, for her to show her true colours.

Nothing happened, however. She didn't call, didn't show up at their door; she didn't show herself at all. Perhaps she had decided to move on with her life or thought they weren't worth her time.

Either was fine with Naruto. Not having to look over his shoulders every time he went outside, wondering whether he was becoming too paranoid, made enjoying the remaining weeks of his pregnancy easier. If she had wanted to do something, she would have done it by now, he concluded.

Sakura had always been the type to lash out immediately after all.

* * *

The beginning of October announced itself with cold wind and heavy rain – a sharp contrast to the rather mild weather of September, as if Mother Nature had suddenly remembered that autumn had arrived.

As rain pelted harshly against the windows, Naruto finished dressing himself, tugging down his warm sweater over his belly. With only two days left until he would be admitted into the hospital for his C-section, he decided that he would check his bag, the one containing all the stuff necessary for his stay at the hospital, one last time after Sasuke had left for work. He was pretty sure he had put everything in the bag already, but it would never hurt to check again just to be on the safe side. He was already starting to feel nervous for his surgery, he could do without having a freak out because he had forgotten this or that in his bag.

Straightening out, he grimaced at the ache simmering in his lower back. His back had been aching something fiercely since four o'clock, which had made sleeping rather difficult. He would try to take a nap later in the day; hopefully by then he would be feeling better.

Snatching his phone from the nightstand, he turned around to leave –

Only to freeze when something wet and warm trickled down his legs, sticking the material of his trousers to his legs.

Slowly he looked down, staring at the small puddle forming underneath him.

As his baby fussed inside him and the ache in his back grew a tad worse, all that left him was, "Ah, shit."

It looked like he didn't have two more days left in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Now we're definitely edging towards the ending, so I suggest you buckle up and prepare yourselves - it's going to be a bumpy ride ;)
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter should normally appear on the first of June! I see you all back in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter turned out quite longer than expected LOL
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and kudos! Holy shit, guys, we're nearing 1000 kudos already! O_O 
> 
> Warnings: Some drama; complications with the birth; keep in mind I don't know a lot about hospital procedures, so I apologise in advance if something is off
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like it!

_Chapter 32_

"You couldn't wait two more days?" Naruto groaned once he got past the shock of feeling his water break. "You only had two more days left in there, but that was too long, huh?"

All he got in response was pain flaring up all of a sudden, the ache in his back growing worse, and he grimaced, rubbing his back. "Yeah, all right, I got the message," he muttered and grimaced when he looked down at the floor.

Sidestepping the small puddle, he left the room and went into the bathroom to grab a large towel. No way was he just leaving that puddle like that before leaving to the hospital. It'd be a couple of days at least before he could return home and if Itachi's behaviour after Aihime's birth was anything to go by, Sasuke wouldn't be home much either in the next couple of days.

Dropping the towel on top of the mess, he left it to soak it up and went to his closet next, picking out a clean pair of track bottoms and another pair of underwear. The way his trousers stuck to his legs felt uncomfortable and he wasn't about to go to the hospital in wet clothes.

After changing into the fresh clothes, he threw the other ones into the basket and returned to the bedroom for the second time to retrieve his bag. The large duffel bag, stuffed to the brim with extra clothes for him and some diapers, baby clothes, a pacifier and some bottles – in case breastfeeding wouldn't work out for him – was resting against the wall next to their closet and he stopped in front of it; his toes pushing into the stiff material.

The sight of it made him a tad dizzy all of a sudden and he took a deep breath, feeling the edges of panic licking at him, threatening to slip through the cracks. _God, he was becoming a dad today_. In just a couple of hours, he and Sasuke would finally be holding their son in their arms, discover how he looked like after months of feeling him move around in his belly. He would leave this morning with his baby still in his womb, but by tonight the months long wait would be over and he would be holding his baby in his arms.

Their baby would actually be here, finally after all this time, and that realisation was _overwhelming_. A year ago he had still been single, living alone in a shitty apartment, and his greatest concern had been money and hoping that his best friend would never discover his true feelings for him.

Now he lived in a house together with Sasuke and in a couple of hours they would be welcoming their son into their family. Two would become three.

_Everything was about to change._

"Fuck, am I ready for this?" he whispered and swallowed, his hands drifting down to cup his stomach. Was he ready to become a father? The prospect of it suddenly looked so daunting, but …

His mind flashed back to the past months, to all those moments spent perfecting the look of the nursery, imagining him sitting there in the rocking chair with his baby whilst feeding him; feeling every kick, every push and marvelling about experiencing his baby moving around in him; watching enraptured at the screen whenever Tsunade showed him his son and sneaking glances at the ultrasounds later on.

Fantasising about how his son would look like, who he would resemble the most, whose temperament he would lean closest to. The overwhelming feeling of _love_ that he already felt for the little being inside of him, feeling protective over him whenever he thought of the dangers that could be present outside in the world. Wishing the best for him even when he still naively had believed he'd be able to give up his child.

Without being conscious of it at first, he started softly smiling when he thought of how close he was to holding his baby in his arms. The thought of becoming a dad, of taking care of his son when he would no longer be in his stomach – it was still scary. He worried he was going to screw up, that his own childhood bereft of a real parental figure had fucked him up.

But then he thought of Sasuke downstairs, of his friends, of how much he loved his baby already … And he realised he could do this. He might make mistakes, might screw up sometimes, but he had help, people who loved him and would be there to help him get through whatever hurdle that would appear in front of him.

He could do this. He was ready – as ready as anyone could be who was on the verge of taking up the difficult task that was parenting.

Difficult, but _oh so worth it_.

Smiling, feeling a bit more at ease, even though there were still some nervous butterflies racing around in his stomach, he bent down and collected the handles of his duffel bag, hoisting it up. Holding the bag with one hand, he rested his other on top of his stomach, feeling it rippling underneath his touch.

"All right, let's discover just how much we can shock your papa with the news you're coming today, hm?"

"Naruto? Are you done changing? I need to leave in a bit," Sasuke called out from downstairs.

The blond smiled wryly and answered, "I'm on my way."

He descended the staircase carefully, pausing once when the pain flared up again – _contractions_ , his mind helpfully supplied – and stood at the foot of the stairs for a moment, closing his eyes briefly as he took a deep breath. Then he walked to the kitchen, guided by the footsteps he heard there.

Sasuke stood with his back to him in front of the counter, placing the newspaper there right when Naruto paused in the doorway. "There you are, I was already starting to wonder what took you so long," Sasuke said, putting his cup in the sink. "I need to leave soon; Itachi and I have a meeting planned with a new client."

"Yeah, about that – you'll have to cancel that meeting, I'm afraid," Naruto said lightly, dropping the bag down next to him.

"Why would I cancel the meeting? Is something - " Sasuke cut himself off abruptly when he turned around and spotted the bag on the floor. "Naruto?" he asked warily; his gaze switching back and forth between the bag and the pregnant man next to it.

"Your son apparently can't wait a measly two days longer and decide today's the day," Naruto said airily, waving his hands as if saying 'tada!'. "My water broke. The baby's coming today."

Dark eyes widened, growing to the size of saucers. "What?" Sasuke asked dumbfounded and all right, Naruto could forgive him for that reaction. It wasn't like he hadn't been in shock either when he felt his water break.

He pointed to his bag. "We need to go to the hospital. Our baby's not going to wait any longer and wants out today." He paused and added dryly, "And I can hardly push him out."

A couple of seconds passed by in silence until Sasuke cursed and snatched his keys from the table, pocketing his phone at the same time. "Shit, all right, let's go. We're going to the hospital."

"Don't you need to call your brother first?" Naruto asked amused and bent down to grab his bag.

Before he could completely reach down, however, Sasuke had already snatched it off the floor. "No, I'll call him when we're there; he'll just have to do the meeting on his own," the dark haired man said dismissively. Resting a hand on Naruto's lower back, they made their way into the hallway where they exchanged their slippers for shoes. "You in pain?"

Naruto shrugged, stuffing his feet into a pair of old, battered trainers, which were easy to slip in and out of. "My back's been aching since early this morning and I'm getting contractions, but it's not too bad so far."

They stepped outside after putting on their jackets and Sasuke locked the door behind them. Rain was still streaming down heavily, creating big puddles in places where the footway dipped slightly. Their footsteps crunched heavily on the gravel as they hurried to the car; Sasuke threw the duffel bag in the boot of the car while Naruto sat down in the front, rubbing his belly soothingly.

He still felt nervous at the prospect that in a couple of hours he would be a dad for real, but the thought that soon he would be able to hold his son in his arms excited him and when Sasuke slid behind the steering wheel, his foot was already tapping on the floor; his outlet for the jittery sensation that had taken a hold of him.

He stilled when a hand covered his own and he turned to look at Sasuke, who leant over to kiss him softly on his lips. "We'll be able to hold our son in our arms soon," he murmured; his free hand dipped down to touch Naruto's belly.

Naruto smiled, exhilaration and nerves running rampant in him, as he covered Sasuke's hand on his stomach with his own. "Yeah, we will."

* * *

"Can I help you?" The woman at the nurse's station looked at them inquiringly; her dark brown hair tied neatly back in a short ponytail.

"My partner's water broke," Sasuke explained; his eyes wide and glimmering; a tiny smile constantly playing around the corners of his mouth.

Light brown eyes flickered towards Naruto and she smiled. "All right, a nurse will guide you to your room shortly. Can I get the name of your doctor?"

"Senju Tsunade-sensei," Naruto answered, still finding it odd to tack the suffix onto her name when he always called her either just Tsunade, baa-chan or occasionally the hag – though that last one usually ended up with him sporting a bump if she heard it.

Recognition lit up in her eyes and she nodded, reaching out for the phone. "I'll call her to inform her. Honda-san?" As a light brown haired nurse started making her way over to them, dressed in the white uniform every nurse wore, the receptionist addressed them cheerfully, "If you'd fill in these papers, that'd be great. A nurse will show you to your room shortly."

After filling in the questionnaire – "Are you allergic to any sedations in particular?", "How the hell should I know? It's not like I had to be sedated that many times already!" – the nurse, Honda, brought them to the second floor to room 202. She told him to change into a hospital shirt and then connected his stomach with several wires to the monitor, assuring him Tsunade would come by soon to check on his progress.

"If you need help, just press that button right there and a nurse will be here immediately. But," she smiled brightly, "it's looking good so far!" With those reassuring words, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"I'm going to call Itachi and mother," Sasuke announced, lowering the duffel bag against the wall. "You want me to call Jiraiya and Iruka as well?"

"No, let's wait with informing them – they're only going to worry about nothing until the baby's here and I'm not in the mood to deal with their fussing," Naruto replied, wrinkling his nose and uncovering his own phone out of his jacket. Iruka and Jiraiya would probably outdo each other in being a nervous wreck while waiting; Naruto himself was already feeling nervous, he didn't need dealing with their fussing on top of that.

Sasuke snorted, sliding his phone out of his pocket. "Fair, I guess."

"I am going to call Gaara, though," the blond man muttered, already pulling up his friend's phone number.

"Sure, I'll go to the hallway for my calls," Sasuke said, slipping out of the room and leaving the door ajar.

With regular beeping as his background noise – which he guessed was connected to his and his baby's vitals – Naruto pressed on ' _Call_ ' and lifted his phone to his ear, waiting for the red haired man to pick up.

"Naruto," Gaara greeted him after a couple of seconds. He must have had his phone next to him. "You're calling early."

"Ah yeah, my water broke, so I'm at the hospital now," Naruto smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I figured I'd let you - "

"I'm on my way," was Gaara's abrupt reply and before Naruto could say anything else, the other man had hung up.

"Huh." Naruto blinked and lowered his phone, staring at the screen which displayed ' _Call ended_ '. After a few seconds the screen dimmed until fading completely to black. He had just wanted to warn Gaara, but he guessed he should have expected a response like that.

"Mother's on her way," Sasuke told him when he came back into the room. "Itachi can't cancel the meeting, so we won't see him for a bit, but he mentioned calling Deidara, so we're probably going to see him soon."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Naruto grinned and waved his phone in the air, before dropping it on the nightstand. "Gaara's on his way too." Then he winced and clutched his stomach when a new contraction, stronger than the ones before, surprised him and he inhaled sharply.

"You want me to call a nurse and see if they can give you something against the pain?" Sasuke questioned, his eyebrows drawn together in concern as he sank down in the chair next to Naruto, offering his hand.

The younger man accepted it, lacing their fingers together. Once the pain had subsided he breathed out slowly and sat up, only now realising he had been sitting bent over. "No, I'll be fine," he reassured the older man. "It's not like I have to go through this for hours. Anyway, want to make a bet who'll be here first?" he added with a cheeky smile.

Dark eyes rolled. "That's not going to be a fair bet, considering we don't know whether they're all on the road already," Sasuke pointed out.

"Please, as if any of them is going to take their time," Naruto snorted, arching an eyebrow. Especially not when they had surprised them all with the news that the baby would come two days earlier.

"It's either going to be mother or Deidara," Sasuke said to his surprise and he shrugged when blue eyes stared at him. "She might live the furthest away from the hospital, but I wouldn't put it past her to drive way past the speed limit to get here as soon as possible."

"She doesn't look like the type," Naruto muttered stunned, feeling like he had just discovered some world ending news. Mikoto always appeared so calm, so demure and polite, it was difficult to imagine her breaking traffic rules for a grandson who wasn't even born yet.

"Oh, but she is, trust me." Sasuke sank back into his chair, but still kept his fingers tangled together with Naruto's. "I suggest you enjoy your peace and quiet while you still can – I doubt we'll get those once the cavalry has arrived."

* * *

It turned out to be a close tie between Mikoto and Deidara. Deidara entered the room first, holding Aihime against his chest in a sling, with Mikoto following closely behind.

"As impatient as his daddy, hm?" Deidara smirked; his eyes glinting amused when they landed on the younger blond in the bed.

Naruto stuck out his tongue, for the moment unable to say anything as another contraction had him squeezing Sasuke's hand tightly. To his credit, the dark haired man didn't complain, but let his hand be crushed with only a mere twitch of his mouth.

"Funny," Naruto snarked, sinking back down against his pillow. "Just because yours stayed inside until the right date …"

"How are you feeling, Naruto-kun?" Mikoto smiled, giving his free hand a quick squeeze. She unwrapped her long scarf and removed her long, marine blue coat, draping both items over the empty chair next to the window.

"That's what I want to know as well." Tsunade strode into the room, her white doctor's coat billowing behind her and a stethoscope dangling around her neck. "I hadn't expected to see you here until Friday, brat."

"Yeah, well, it's not like it's my fault," Naruto huffed, watching how she studied the screen carefully. "I'm fine by the way. The contractions suck and I can't wait to have him out of me, but I'm fine."

Tsunade snorted and patted his arm. "Good to know. Both your vitals are looking good by the way. I'll tell the nurses to prepare a room for the surgery. Not like we'll have to wait for the proper amount of dilation in your case," she added amused.

"Can I stay with him during the surgery?" Sasuke questioned; his other hand resting against Naruto's belly.

The doctor nodded. "I don't see why not. It'll be local sedation only, so Naruto will be awake too. A screen will be placed in front of your stomach, though, so you won't see anything until the baby's out," she explained and her eyes gleamed. "Hope you're not too squeamish, Uchiha. Things might get a bit bloody."

With those parting words, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"I feel like she's enjoying this," Naruto said blankly.

"She probably is, un," Deidara smiled, sitting down at his feet. Cradling Aihime's head with his hand, he asked curiously, "So what are you going to call my nephew?"

A moment of silence and then –

"Fuck! I knew we had forgotten something!" Naruto cried out in dismay and Sasuke groaned, burying his face in his hand.

_They hadn't decided on a name yet._

* * *

"You're really considering calling him Menma?" Gaara asked sceptically, crossing his arms. He had arrived a little while after Tsunade's visit; the bags underneath his eyes were barely visible – proof he had slept recently – and he was wearing the green cashmere sweater Temari had bought for him a couple of years ago.

"See!" Sasuke waved at him impatiently. "Thank you! Now you hear it from someone else!"

"What is wrong with that name?" Naruto complained, even as Mikoto and Deidara were grinning. "Seriously, what do you have against it? It's a great name!"

"It's a topping for ramen," Gaara said blankly.

"And what's wrong with - " Naruto's breath hitched and he curled an arm around his belly. Something – something felt off. His baby had been fussing slightly, but now he –

The machines started blearing loudly, their shrill beeping echoing through the hospital room. For a moment everyone froze and then the door slammed open and a nurse rushed in, going to the monitor instantly.

"What's wrong?" Tsunade hurried into the room, her sharp eyes landing on the monitor.

"The baby's in distress, Tsunade-sensei," the nurse said and stepped out of the way when Tsunade grabbed the transducer and shoved the hospital gown up, baring Naruto's belly. The gel was slathered on his skin hastily and she moved the transducer up and down, looking at the screen to see what was happening.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Naruto asked, his heart speeding up as panic started to rise. His baby was in distress? What the fuck did that even mean? What was happening? Was something wrong with his baby? Was he –

Was he going to lose his son after all?

"The umbilical cord got wrapped around your baby's neck, we need to operate now!" Tsunade snapped, dropping the transducer, as two other nurses flitted in, joining the first one. "Get him to the operation room immediately! We need to get the baby out now; we don't have time to waste!"

Blue eyes met horrified black ones before he was hastily wheeled out of the room, leaving his family in shock behind. He heard Sasuke saying, "I'm going with him!" but Tsunade pushed him back, surprisingly gently.

"No, sorry, Uchiha, but you can't. The partner can't be present during an emergency C-section. You'll have to stay here," she told him before turning around to follow the nurses. "I'll come get you once it's safe."

Dread filled him like a block of ice and he swallowed, but the lump in his throat refused to go away. "Is – is my baby going to die?" he choked out. He didn't want to ask the question, afraid of the answer, but he needed to know.

He needed to know whether this was the last time he would feel his baby moving again, whether when he woke up again if he had to say goodbye instead of hello to his precious son.

After all this time, would he end up losing his baby after all? Was this his punishment for wanting to keep what wasn't originally his?

Pain squeezed his chest so tightly it became harder for him to breathe and the lights on the ceiling were flashing by too quickly, making him nauseous.

"I'm going to do everything I can to save your baby, okay, Naruto?" Tsunade murmured; her face grim with determination. "You hang on there; I'll take care of you both, I promise."

"Y-you pr-promise?" he slurred and blinked, his vision growing fuzzy all of a sudden. Everything was starting to feel really heavy, like gravity was suddenly taking a toll, and breathing became a lot harder to do. He felt someone shaking his arm, talking urgently to him, but the words and the face didn't register anymore.

One blink and bright light greeted him. Another blink and he thought he could hear doors slamming open.

A third blink and –

Then nothing.

* * *

He floated for a while, surrounded by nothing than darkness. It pulsed around him, enveloped him and drowned him, latching onto him with greedy appendages and not letting him go, no matter how much he struggled.

He knew he had to fight, instinctively knew there was something waiting for him even if he couldn't immediately recall what.

The darkness was heavier, though. Stronger and he started drifting away again.

* * *

Broken white greeted him when he slowly opened his eyes and for a while he did nothing but stare at the colour. He felt like he had been run over by a truck; his throat was sore as if something had been obstructing it for a while and there was a strange, unsettling emptiness where his stomach should be. As if someone had carved out his stomach, leaving him hollow.

Something dark shifted into his line of view and he blinked a couple of times. When his eyes focused, he realised with a start he was staring straight into Sasuke's face.

_Sasuke._

So that meant he …

"Are you with me, Naruto?" Sasuke asked quietly, looking paler than usual. His skin was a sickly white and his eyes were oddly red rimmed. He looked like shit, like he hadn't had a good rest in a long time.

"Y-yeah, I'm – I'm here," Naruto croaked and made a move to sit up. Instantly pain blazed and he fell down with a rough shout.

Sasuke pressed on something against the wall and after a couple of long seconds the pain abated to a dull throb.

"You have to be careful," Sasuke scolded him, but it was half hearted at best. "You just had surgery and you can't move too fast yet."

"Surgery …" Naruto repeated numbly and his eyes slid down to his stomach. His stomach which was no longer rounded and big, but flattish.

No longer round and big …

"My baby!" His hand shot out and he gripped Sasuke's arm tightly, staring at him with wild eyes. "How's our baby? Is he okay? Did they – did he …" He couldn't get the words out and trembled instead, his chest hurting as he shuddered, trying to supress a sob.

Fingers curled around his hand and gently removed it from Sasuke's wrist. "He's okay," Sasuke replied thickly, looking like he would collapse any second now. "There were some complications, but they were on time."

"He's not – he's okay?" Naruto asked in a small voice, not daring to hope yet.

"Yeah, he's okay. The cord wasn't long enough around his neck to do any lasting damage. You're both going to be okay," Sasuke whispered, pressing a kiss against Naruto's limp hand.

Relief had never felt so sweet before. "Can I – can I see him? I want to see him," he said, making his voice stronger. His entire body felt heavy, but he needed to see his son.

He needed to see with his own eyes that his baby boy was okay, that he was still _here_.

"Of course, he's right here," Sasuke murmured and turned around, bending down towards something.

It was a crib, Naruto realised with his heart pounding heavily. A crib which contained his –

When Sasuke turned around again, he was holding a bundle of light blue blankets. "Say hello to our son, Naruto," he announced, blinking rapidly as he lowered the bundle into Naruto's waiting arms. "He's got all ten toes and fingers and the nurses declared him completely healthy."

He had to be careful with how he moved his arms as any movement seem to tug at his stitches, but he didn't care because when his arms closed around the bundle and he looked down, _he saw his son._

His baby boy with fine black hair covering his scalp, rose coloured, chubby cheeks and a rosebud mouth. His son who sleepily opened his eyes – a very, very deep blue, which might turn into the black colour of his papa – and who yawned, smacking his lips together as he stared at Naruto.

"Hey there," Naruto whispered and something wet and hot trailed down his cheeks as he carefully brushed his finger across his baby's cheek. "I'm your daddy, sweetheart. I can't believe how beautiful you are," he laughed weakly and something wet splashed apart on the blanket.

When he tore his gaze away from his perfect baby boy, he saw silent tears dripping down Sasuke's cheeks and he offered him a smile, beckoning him closer with a jerk of his head. "I can't believe we made him, look at him!"

Sasuke sank down carefully next to him, placing his arm around Naruto's shoulder; a reassuring weight. He cupped their son's head with his other hand; his skin brushing against the blond's. "You did an amazing job," he said against Naruto's temple, nuzzling him before pressing a kiss against it.

Naruto grinned watery. " _We_ did an amazing job," he amended; his gaze trailing back down to his son. "He's so beautiful," he murmured mesmerized, watching how deep blue eyes wandered across the room unfocused.

"I thought I had lost you both," Sasuke admitted quietly; his own eyes fixated on their baby. "I didn't know what was happening and it felt like the surgery was taking hours …" he trailed off, taking a shuddering breath.

Carefully, ignoring the warning twinge in his stomach, he reached out with his hand and cupped Sasuke's cheek. "Hey, we're both here," Naruto said gently. "I'll always come back to you. I'm like weed – you can't get rid of me that easily, bastard."

"I'm holding you on to that," Sasuke said and bent his head to capture Naruto's mouth in a soft kiss. "I love you," he whispered against the blond's parted lips.

"I love you too," Naruto murmured, tasting salt.

When he thought of how close he had come to losing his baby … His grip tightened around his baby and he looked back down at him. It felt like a miracle that his son had survived without any lasting harm. They had been so lucky …

And then he suddenly knew: the perfect name for his little boy.

"I know the perfect name for him," he said, still looking at his baby.

"Yeah? What do you have in mind?"

"Yukio."

"Yukio," Sasuke repeated softly and when blue eyes glanced up, he saw a smile unfurling across Sasuke's lips. "Yeah, that's perfect."

"Welcome to the family, Yukio," Naruto smiled, kissing his baby's forehead.

Yukio started wiggling, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly as he turned his head back and forth restlessly, looking like he was searching for something.

"Oh! Are you hungry?" Naruto cooed and with some help of Sasuke, he uncovered one nipple and guided Yukio's mouth to it. After a couple of tries, Yukio latched on and started sucking enthusiastically, one of his tiny hands resting against Naruto's chest.

It felt somewhat weird, the sensation odd, as Yukio kept sucking contently, his eyes closed, but at the same time – it felt amazing. Yukio's small, warm weight on his chest was reassuring and it was amazing to realise he was feeding his own baby, that he was taking care of him in this way. That he could share something so intimate with his baby. The sudden surge of love he felt for this small being was overwhelming and he had to blink away tears. He hadn't realised before just how much he had come to love his baby boy already.

And now he was here: safe and well in his daddy's arms, filling up his tummy.

"Where's everybody?" he asked softly, once he became fully aware that it was only him, Sasuke and Yukio in the room.

"They're waiting downstairs; said they'll come by once you're feeling up to it," Sasuke replied, smiling faintly. "Itachi got here an hour ago."

"Did you call Jiraiya and Iruka?"

"No, not yet. I was waiting for you to wake up."

Naruto nodded, hearing the unspoken worry in his lover's voice, and rubbed his cheek briefly against Sasuke's arm, in lieu of using a hand as both were cradling his baby.

"How long was I out?" he asked hesitatingly.

"A couple of hours," Sasuke said, releasing his breath slowly.

"Sorry for worrying you," Naruto murmured, hating that he was the cause of those red rimmed eyes and faint traces of worry buried deep into black eyes.

"Not your fault," the dark haired man snorted softly, but all the same his arm tightened around Naruto's shoulder as if he was afraid the blond would disappear into thin air if he didn't keep holding on.

For a while they were quiet, watching their son nursing from Naruto's chest. It was a peaceful silence and the blond man relished in it. He'd call in their family soon, but for now he just wanted to bask a little longer in the presence of his son and Sasuke alone.

Sasuke made Yukio burp onto a towel that he had placed across his shoulder, rubbing his back slowly, once the baby was done eating. After wiping off his mouth, Sasuke returned him to Naruto's arms and he himself settled back next to the younger man, his arm snaking back around his shoulders.

Obviously tired from the whole ordeal of entering the world and eating his tummy full, it didn't take long for Yukio to nod off and fall asleep. Naruto guessed he should return him to his crib for the time being, but he was content to hold him and try to pick out just what Yukio had inherited from whom. He was pretty sure the nose was all Sasuke's and the black hair was obvious, though it would be interesting to see whether Yukio would inherit Naruto's spiky, out of control hair, or Sasuke's.

"Do you want me to call - " Sasuke cut himself off when the door opened and they both turned their heads in surprise.

A nurse with long, blonde hair put up in a high ponytail entered the room and appeared surprised to see Yukio lying on Naruto's chest. "They put the baby here with you?" she inquired bemused, approaching the bed.

"Yeah, why wouldn't they?" Naruto asked baffled. Wasn't it normal for babies to be with their parents? Or was it because he had had an emergency C-section?

"Well, it's not normal procedure in a case like this," she informed them and the way she looked at him, that odd sympathy shining through in her light blue eyes, had him instantly on edge.

"What do you mean, in a case like this?" Sasuke knitted his eyebrows, leaning forwards slightly. "Naruto's well enough to hold him, clearly, and he even just fed him without any problems."

"You fed him?" The incredulous tone in the nurse's voice had both men bristling.

"What's wrong with that?" Naruto asked tersely, still trying to keep his voice as low as possible as to not disturb his sleeping son.

"It wouldn't be wrong normally, but it's not exactly encouraged in your case," she explained with a slight grimace. "Too much risk of bonding with the baby, you see."

Something was seriously wrong here and Naruto's stomach did an uncomfortable flip. "Of course I'm bonding with my baby – why wouldn't I?" he asked sharply, but his heart was starting to beat quicker as a sense of unease fell over him.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke inquired coolly; his face disturbingly blank.

She frowned, as if they were the ones being difficult now. "I'm here to take the baby to his mother."

"There is no mother. I carried him; it's mine and Sasuke's baby," Naruto retorted; his ears started to ring and he unconsciously tightened his embrace, cradling Yukio closer to his chest. What the fuck was that nurse talking about? Yukio was his baby, his son, no one else's!

She held up her hands placatingly. "Look, I know this must be hard for you, considering you carried him for all those months," she started sympathetically. "But I'm just doing my job here. The mother is expecting him and I'm here to bring him to her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sasuke hissed; his eyes practically spitting fire. "There is no mother!" Then he suddenly twisted his head to the door and asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"

Beyond agitated and confused now, Naruto glanced past him and froze at the sight of the woman in the doorway.

Sakura smiled coolly at them, walking leisurely into the room as if she had a right to be here; the sound of her heels against the tiled floor grating on Naruto's nerves.

"Ah, sorry, Sakura," the nurse apologised to their shock. "The other nurses made a mistake and allowed the baby to stay with him. I was just about to bring him to you."

"Don't worry, Ino," Sakura smiled pleasantly, stopping a couple of feet away from the bed. "I was expecting some trouble."

"What the fuck do you think you're doing here?" Sasuke asked and his tone was below freezing now; his eyes burning like the pits of hell as he stared with loathing at his ex-wife.

"I'm here to get what's rightfully mine," she announced coolly.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not giving up my baby, Sakura?" Naruto hissed. This was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, the birth of his son, and she was ruining that because she couldn't let things go. How could she? When would she realise she needed to quit? She was only making a fool out of herself now.

"You can tell me that as many times as you want to, but it doesn't change the fact that that baby is mine," she told him coldly. "I'll take you to court if I have to."

"To court? You don't have any proof!" Naruto spat, shielding his son's head with his hand from her sight.

She clucked her tongue, shaking her head in disappointment. "That's where you're wrong. I've got your signature on paper stating you're signing away your parental rights, remember?"

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Naruto asked incredulously, staring at her like she was insane. She had to be, because why else would she believe he was renouncing his own child? Had she completely snapped to think Naruto would ever sign any paper like that? "Like I would sign a paper like that!"

She raised an eyebrow and fished something out of her purse. "Here's your signature," she said, her eyes glinting with so much triumph it made Naruto _sick_.

Unwillingly, despite knowing he had never signed any paper with that kind of content, his attention was drawn towards the paper she was holding out to them. She came close enough so that they could read what was written. There was a lot of legal jargon on that paper, but Naruto could pick up enough to understand that the document was indeed talking about him renouncing all his rights with regards to the baby he had conceived with Sasuke.

And right there, at the end of the page, Naruto's signature – _his signature_ – stared out at them accusingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Does this answer the question what Sakura's going to do? LOL
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me. The next chapter should normally be posted on the fifteenth of June!
> 
> I see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: This chapter turned out to be the longest of this story. I thought about cutting it into two, but to be honest I'm really curious to your reactions to this particular chapter, so I kept ploughing on until the end LOL So prepare yourself for quite the long chapter!
> 
> Thank for the kudos and the comments! I really appreciate it!
> 
> Warnings: I'm not knowledgeable about court proceedings in Japan, so I winged it a bit; time skips; some violence and if you're a fan of Sakura, this is not the story for you. Trust me, it isn't.
> 
> Also you may or may not have noticed this, but I changed the major warning of this story to "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings" - let that be your final warning.
> 
> Prepare yourselves, loves, because this is going to be one hell of a ride. I reserved the worst shit for the last part ;)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> I hope you'll like this extra long chapter!

_Chapter 33_

"I didn't sign that," Naruto instantly denied, even as his heart started to pound and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears. His arms tightened carefully around his son, hugging him closer to him.

_She was trying to take his son away._

Sasuke had warned him to be on his guard, that she might be planning something, but after months had gone by without even a peep from her, he had foolishly thought she had given up. Even when he had considered her potential revenge, however, he had never envisioned that she would go as far as to actually try to take his son from him.

He had never expected her to go this far. She had been pissed off the last time he had seen her, sure, and she had tried to attack him, but a part of him – a very small part albeit, but it had still existed – had believed she would never cross a certain line.

But she had. She did.

_**And he hated her so much for that.** _

"That's your signature, Naruto," Sakura pointed out smugly, tapping the page with a bright green painted nail.

He shook his head, his breathing speeding up as he thought of how much he'd like to _wring_ her neck now. "I don't care. I know I didn't sign that paper – you have no right to take my baby from me!"

The nurse, Ino, sported a confused frown as she looked between the men on the bed and Sakura next to her. "I'm going to leave you to it. I didn't sign up for this mess," she muttered and marched out of the room, clearly deciding to wash her hands off this situation.

"You can't do this," Sasuke hissed and rose up from the bed, standing in such a way that Sakura's view of Yukio was blocked and she could only catch a glimpse of Naruto himself. "I never thought you would stoop this low – _forging his signature?_ Have you lost your mind? What is wrong with you?" The words were spoken in a low voice, but with such an amount of venom laced through them, Naruto was honestly surprised Sakura remained standing there.

"I'm flattered that you think I can copy this signature this well, Sasuke-kun," Sakura sniffed, but the way she shifted her weight from one leg to the other betrayed her discomfort. "But I can assure you that this signature is real and that's _my_ baby he's holding."

"He's not your baby and he's never going to be yours," Sasuke said coldly. "You think we're just going to hand him over to you? Are you so delusional that you actually believe we'd give our baby to you?"

"This contract - "

"I don't care what the bloody contract says – you're not getting him. I can, however, promise you I'll make your life completely miserable if you don't get the hell out of this room immediately!"

"What's going on here?" Itachi's voice broke through the argument; his deep voice drifting over to them from the doorway.

When Naruto peeked around Sasuke as much as his body allowed, he saw Itachi striding into the room; his face turning absolutely thunderous when he laid eyes on Sakura. Closely behind him Tsunade followed; surprise flashing across her face before a frown marred her forehead as she took notice of the pink haired woman.

"Sakura, what are you doing here? Were you on shift today?" Tsunade asked warily, her brown eyes flitting back and forth between the bed and Sakura.

Perhaps she hadn't gone completely mental yet, because at the sight of the two newcomers, Sakura obviously realised she was outnumbered. "Enjoy your time with him, Naruto," she spat and while Naruto couldn't see her due to Sasuke still forming a barrier between the two of them, he could easily picture the fury on her face as she continued, "Because it's not going to last. I'll see you in court!"

Her heels slammed against the tiles as she stormed out of the room; her loud footsteps echoing in the corridor until the sound died out, announcing her complete departure.

"What happened?" Itachi asked perplexed. "What the hell was she doing here?"

Still tensed up for a fight, Sasuke slowly sank down on the bed and rubbed his forehead before he reached out with one hand and carefully grasped one of Naruto's, taking care not to disturb their sleeping son. As Naruto clasped their hands together, he tried to ignore the slight tremble going through his – or perhaps the muscles in Sasuke's hand were contracting so much. It was hard to tell.

"We're going to need a lawyer, nii-san," Sasuke stated grimly.

Itachi stilled; his face darkening. "Tell me everything," he ordered.

* * *

"Visiting hours are over," Tsunade announced, popping her head into the room. She looked vaguely apologetic about it before she closed the door again.

"Time for use to leave then," Mikoto sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. Draping both her coat and scarf over her arm, she bent down to brush a kiss against Naruto's forehead before softly stroking Yukio's cheek. "Don't think about this whole situation too much, all right? Just focus on your baby and on yourself, that's all you have to do," she advised him.

"I know," he smiled weakly. That was easier said than done, though. With Yukio peacefully asleep in his crib next to Naruto's bed, it was all too easy for his mind to start thinking about Sakura and her threat all over again.

She released a soft sigh, squeezed his shoulder gently one more time before turning to hug her youngest son.

A pale hand covering one of his own for a moment had him looking up straight into black eyes. "Mother's right, you know," Itachi murmured. While the dangerous tone he had used when ordering Sasuke to tell him what had happened, had disappeared, there was still tension in his shoulders and he held himself rather rigidly, even whilst carrying his daughter in a sling against his chest. Even with Aihime held against him, he looked like a jaguar ready to strike.

"She won't be able to lay even one finger on my nephew, I promise," he continued, casting a look at the sleeping boy. "I'll help you out in any way that I can."

"Thanks, Itachi," Naruto said softly, knowing that he could count on the older man. After he had been informed what Sakura had done and her threat about going to court, he had started making calls, one of them being to a lawyer who could help Naruto and Sasuke. This lawyer, a woman named Konan, would be meeting them next Monday to discuss their case.

Itachi nodded and approached Sasuke, who had drifted a bit further towards the door while talking to Mikoto. The two brothers started talking in hushed tones; both their mouths edged with tension.

"I'm sorry that bitch had to ruin this day, un," Deidara sighed, sitting down on the bed for a moment. He had hardly reacted better than them when he had heard what Sakura had said and Naruto had caught him muttering about introducing that " _pink haired menace to his art_ " a couple of times underneath his breath. Judging by the ice cold blue his eyes had turned whenever he had said something along those lines, Naruto very much doubted he was referring to the innocent act of showing her his art.

Naruto grimaced, plucking at the white sheet covering him up until his waist. "Yeah, I'm sorry too," he muttered, feeling exhaustion creeping up. What was supposed to have been a day of joy had been turned into a nightmare thanks to his former friend. He would never forgive her for that.

"I know this isn't going to be easy, but try to rest, un," Deidara said, patting his arm. He smiled wryly. "Trust me, you're going to need your rest once Yukio-kun figures out just how loud he can cry."

"I guess so." He chanced a glance at the sleeping baby and wrinkled his nose. So far Yukio had only fussed twice since Naruto had woken up – once to feed and once to have his diaper changed. He hadn't heard him actually cry yet, but if he had the same lung capacity as his cousin did … He and Sasuke would be in for quite the treat then.

"It's going to be okay," Deidara murmured and flashed him a reassuring smile before he stood up and made his way to his fiancé.

"You're going to be okay?" Green eyes looked at him intensely; something else, something darker, brewing in the depths of them.

Naruto breathed out slowly and shrugged. "Eventually," he admitted. "I'm just – angry and tired now." Actually that wasn't an accurate description of how he was feeling at the moment, because he felt like he was going to burst with the myriad of feelings that were warring inside of him: fury, exhaustion, protectiveness, fear, hope, love … They were all wrapped up, tangled together, and it was hard to distinguish which one had the upper hand.

"You've got us," Gaara said quietly. He made an aborted move as if he wanted to hug Naruto before thinking better of it and settling with grabbing his hand firmly. "We've got your back; she's not going to win this."

"I know," Naruto said and this time his smile was a tad more genuine as he squeezed Gaara's hand softly.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Gaara promised, released his hand and got up. "Get some rest; you definitely earned that after today."

"You too," Naruto told him. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he added, not wanting his best friend's already unstable sleeping schedule to suffer even more because he was worrying about him.

The red haired man clucked his tongue and offered him a deadpan look. "Of course you're going to be fine – we'll make sure of that."

With that rather ominous comment he left the room, nodding at Sasuke before disappearing into the corridor where nurses and doctors could be heard walking and chattering quietly. Gaara's odd comment made Naruto remember how utterly still the older man had become when he had heard of Sakura's visit, how his body had subtly tensed up and his eyes had darkened, acquiring an edge Naruto hadn't seen in a long time.

It made the blond man wonder whether letting Gaara leave like that was a good idea. Gaara had been clear about the fact that if anyone tried to mess with Naruto, they'd have to deal with him and his threats weren't ones to take lightly. He wasn't one to make idle threats – his warnings were always best to heed, because he wasn't a guy one should make an enemy out of.

Perhaps he should call him, try to discern whether he was planning something, but … Gaara had said he would come back tomorrow; that wasn't enough time to be planning something, much less carry it out. Naruto didn't think he would do anything immediately either – at least not until they had an idea on how to proceed with their lawyer.

The sound of the door clicking shut broke through his thoughts and he blinked, looking up at Sasuke, who made his way back to the bed; his face etched with weariness.

"We can probably expect Deidara to show up again tomorrow," he commented, lowering himself into the chair. Almost automatically his hand reached out to grab Naruto's. "Not sure about mother, but it wouldn't surprise me if she showed up again later this week before you leave here."

"Gaara said he's coming over tomorrow as well," Naruto said and the corners of his mouth twitched faintly. "At least I can't say I'll be lonely. You're going into the office tomorrow?"

The dark haired man snorted. "Fuck that," he said dismissively, though he lowered his voice as if he thought Yukio would hear his cursing. "I'm taking the next couple of days off. It's nearly weekend anyway."

"Your work - "

"Itachi can pick up some files for me when he drops by tomorrow," Sasuke replied swiftly. "Besides, I'm entitled to some days off. I won't get twelve months considering I haven't been working there for a year already, but still."

"I'll have to call Jiraiya and Iruka tomorrow," Naruto muttered, rubbing his free hand over his eyes. With all the commotion that had happened today, he had neglected to call the two men.

Sasuke uttered a soft noise. "Not like they expected a call from you before Friday anyway," he remarked, leaning back into the chair with closed eyes.

"While Tsunade is going to give us some leeway because she feels sorry for us, I doubt she's going to allow you to stay the night," Naruto commented lightly.

Dark eyes opened again. "I wish I could stay the nights until you're back home with Yukio," he said darkly; his fingers twitching faintly around Naruto's.

"A nurse or Tsunade will be here if I need them," Naruto said quietly, pinpointing Sasuke's reason for worry instantly even if the man hadn't said it directly. "She's going to lay low now for a while I think. Until she gets us into court that is," he added and couldn't help the bitterness he felt from leaking into his voice.

How had they come to the point that his former best friend was dragging him to court about the custody of his own son?

"She's not going to win." Confidence rang loudly in Sasuke's voice even when his eyes shone with frustration and anger.

"Yeah …" Naruto trailed off and lowered himself against his pillow, pulling the sheet higher up. "I'm going to sleep a bit before Yukio wakes up."

Sasuke pursed his lips but nodded, settling in more comfortable in the chair, which squeaked a bit underneath his weight.

Naruto drifted away to the sounds of Sasuke's regular breathing and the rhythmic beeping noises of the monitors.

* * *

"I can already tell you that her case is very weak," Konan announced primly, brushing a lock of her blue hair behind her ear. A clip with a large, soft white flower kept the hair on her left side out of her face.

It was Sunday evening, two days after Naruto had returned home with Yukio. Itachi and Deidara had arrived with a blue haired woman in tow and had introduced her as Konan, the lawyer they recommended. They knew her because she was the wife of Nagato, a colleague of Itachi and Sasuke. Apparently she had made quite the name for herself, known for never losing a case.

As Naruto had busied himself with feeding Yukio and putting him to sleep, Sasuke had informed Konan about what had occurred in the hospital room and Sakura's threat to drag them into court and take custody of Yukio.

"My signature on that paper looks very convincing," Naruto said sourly, taking a seat next to Sasuke. He wanted to believe her, but the contract kept bothering him, leaving a sick feeling behind. He knew he hadn't signed that contract, but would a judge believe him?

She inclined her head and crossed her legs, adjusting the papers on her lap. "Even if you had truly signed that document, you still have the right to change your mind considering you're the one who carried and birthed the child," she explained. "She can wave with that contract all she wants, in the end your final decision is what counts. If you state in court that you don't want to relinquish your parental rights, the judge won't question it. It's your baby, your decision. She has no claim to the baby whatsoever, even if you initially started out as her surrogate."

She spread out her hands. "Not to mention, she's a recently divorced woman who clearly carries a grudge, works long hours at the hospital and has no family around these parts that she can count on – all these factors will definitely work against her even if she had a shot at gaining custody. She can't exactly provide a stable environment for a child."

"What do you suggest we do?" Sasuke inquired, smiling absently at Aihime who was resting on his lap and clearly not ready to go to sleep yet. She was grappling at his finger and grinning brightly whenever she caught her, cooing at it while she tugged his finger closer.

"Call her bluff." Konan shrugged. "It's an easy case to win – I'm actually surprised her lawyer is willing to go forth with it, because they have to know she doesn't stand a chance."

"Is there a way to discourage her from trying anything else, un?" Deidara frowned. He was seated on Itachi's lap; his leg resting against Sasuke's.

"Well, forging a signature is a misdemeanour," she replied, tapping her fingers softly on the papers on her thighs. "If we can prove she forged it, she'll be looking at a sentence of minimum one month to five years. While she might not effectively spend that time in prison, it'll most likely serve as a great deterrent, given that this sentence wouldn't reflect well on her – or her career," she added with a thin smile.

"Thing is," Naruto piped up, furrowing his eyebrows, "I don't think she's the one who forged my signature. She once tried that with her mum's signature on a test she failed, but she got called out on it because her attempt didn't look like her mum's signature in the least."

"I remember that," Sasuke murmured. "She got grounded for a month."

Konan tilted her head to the left. "So she had an accomplice forging the signature," she surmised with a small nod. "Can you think of anyone who'd have wanted to help her with this?"

They all exchanged glances with each other. There _was_ one person Naruto could think of who might have wanted to help Sakura with this, but what would he have to gain by doing this? Not to mention he didn't look like the type to know how to forge signatures, that would be beneath him – unless he knew someone, of course.

Still, Naruto was reluctant to verbalise his suspicion, because … Well, he couldn't really have gone this far to hurt them, right?

"I'm … not sure whether he would help her with something like this," Sasuke started, sounding oddly subdued, "but she might have got help from my father."

"Your father?" Konan repeated curiously. "Does your father have any reason to help your ex-wife gain custody of the baby?"

"We had a falling out a couple of months ago," he explained stiffly, not even reacting when Aihime clasped both her tiny hands around his index finger. "I told him I was choosing for Naruto and leaving Sakura and he didn't take that particularly well. He threw me out and told me I wasn't his son any longer."

There was still a hint of old pain simmering in his voice and Naruto rubbed his back soothingly, offering his silent support.

"So him aiding Haruno is his revenge for you leaving her?"

"Revenge for me no longer following his wishes," he corrected her wryly. "I've done whatever he told me to do for years and he didn't appreciate it that I chose to no longer obey him."

"Father never liked losing," Itachi murmured, playing absentmindedly with the ring around Deidara's finger. "He wouldn't have forged the signature, though. That's not his style. He'd have employed someone else to do that."

Naruto wondered what kind of business Fugaku conducted if that got him into contact with someone forging signatures as a living.

"We can build a case out of this if we have a sufficient amount of evidence," Konan remarked, scribbling something down on the first paper. "Might even catch multiple offenders if we catch the one who actually forged Uzumaki-san's signature."

"I can ask Kakashi to look into it," Itachi suggested. He leant back a tad when Aihime started becoming fussy and Deidara reached out to lift her from Sasuke's lap.

She inclined her head and started putting the papers back into her briefcase. "Yes, that's an excellent idea," she approved and rose up; her face softening with a small smile as she stuck out her hand. "I'd like to accept your case if that's okay with you. I'm confident I can win this case for you."

"We're grateful that you're willing to do this for us," Sasuke said, standing up as well to shake her hand.

"Yes, thank you for that," Naruto smiled gratefully, shaking her hand next and ignoring the barely there ache in his lower stomach. Unless he started to feel unwell, he would have a check-up done in five weeks. At this point, the ache centred around his stitches was merely an annoyance which only briefly flared up sometimes, depending on how he moved.

She dipped her head and grabbed her briefcase. "Thank me when this is all over. Have a pleasant evening," she said and Sasuke walked with her to the hallway where they could hear them exchange muffled goodbyes.

Deidara whistled lowly. "Haruno is screwed now that Konan's on the case," he said, casting a quick glance down at Aihime as if he wanted to check whether she had heard the foul word. She was more interested in fiddling with one of the buttons on his shirt, though.

"She seems confident," Naruto commented offhandedly, casting a glance at the baby phone resting on the table in front of him. So far Yukio appeared to be still sleeping peacefully. Most likely he'd wake up in a couple of hours to eat again.

"She is," Itachi said calmly as Sasuke entered the living room again. "She's never lost a case and I doubt she'll lose one as easy as yours."

"Yeah well, I'll be able to relax completely once this is all over," Naruto muttered, running his fingers through his hair. He was feeling tired and the idea of going to sleep, even though it was barely past seven was rather enticing. Even with Sasuke getting up throughout the night as well, his sleep schedule had been completely turned upside down since Yukio was born.

Jiraiya had definitely noticed his lack of sleep when an offhand comment during his visit yesterday had earned him a sharp remark from his godson.

"We know, un," Deidara said sympathetically and got up from Itachi's lap. "I think it's best if we go home now. This little one needs her sleep and I think you can use some rest as well before Yukio-kun needs you again."

"Rest, what's rest?" Naruto joked and they exchanged goodbyes before the couple left.

With a sigh, the blond man lied down on the couch, lifting his legs up temporarily for Sasuke to sit down. Resting his legs on top of Sasuke's thighs and feeling hands absently rubbing his calves, he looked at the dark haired man and asked, "What do you think of Konan-san?"

He shrugged, looking pensive. "She's highly recommended by my brother and I trust him," he answered simply. "If he says she can get this job done, then I believe him. What about you?"

"I want to believe she'll win this case," Naruto said after a short pause, worrying his lip between his teeth.

Dark eyebrows furrowed. "But?"

"I know she said no judge will believe a piece of paper over me, but … I'm just – scared," he admitted haltingly; his face and neck growing uncomfortably warm. "I'm scared Sakura's still going to succeed and that I'll – that I won't have - " His breath hitched and a lump formed in his throat, making it harder to get the rest of his words out.

"Hey." Fingers slid underneath his chin, tilting his head up. "She's not going to get our baby," Sasuke said firmly when he had Naruto's attention. "She can try to take him from us as many times as she wants, she's not going to succeed. Yukio is _ours_ , not hers and he'll never be hers."

Naruto jerked his head down in a nod, swallowing past the lump in his throat with some difficulty as he brushed a hand over his damp eyes. The rational part of him knew that he had to trust Konan, had to believe that she was speaking the truth when she stated Sakura had no claim to Yukio whatsoever, no matter what the contract stated, but the other part of him was scared shitless at the thought that he would lose his baby in the end after all.

That he'd be forced to hand over his son to someone who had seemingly made it her mission in life to ruin his by taking away those he loved.

He had always been hailed as the eternal optimistic one in their friend circle, but it was hard to stay optimistic when he was afraid his son would be taken from him.

"It's going to be okay, I promise," Sasuke murmured and leant forwards to press a kiss against the blond's lips. When he pulled back, there was a faint smile playing around his lips. "So, on to a happier note," he said lightly, brushing his hands across Naruto's thighs. "You looking forward to your birthday tomorrow?"

A surprised laugh escaped Naruto. "Honestly? I haven't even thought about - "

A sudden piercing cry interrupted him, warbled through the baby phone and travelling loudly from upstairs to the living room. With a groan, Naruto thumped his head against the back of the couch, rubbing both hands briskly over his face.

"I'll go see what he needs," Sasuke muttered, rising up from the couch.

"If it's a dirty diaper, it's your turn!" Naruto called out quickly.

That earned him one of the throw pillows against his grinning face and a raised middle finger.

* * *

Despite the looming threat of Sakura in the back of his mind, Naruto still managed to have a good time on his birthday. Sasuke had taken an additional day off and Gaara stayed for the entire day too. Deidara showed up with Aihime around lunchtime, explaining she had been fussy all morning and he didn't want to risk her setting off Yukio as well. Jiraiya and Iruka dropped by for a couple of hours in the afternoon while Tsunade called to wish him a happy birthday. Even Mikoto called, expressing her regret that she couldn't come by for a visit today.

Itachi showed up around five p.m. carrying a large, thin present. That was the cue for Naruto to open the pile of presents which had grown throughout the day with each new visitor. He received high quality – and quite expensive – paint, together with several new brushes and pure white canvasses. Some books about gardening which made him grin widely, because he'd always been fond of working in a garden, but living in an apartment had restricted what he could do with plants. Now that he had his own house with a big garden, he could finally create the garden he had always wanted to have.

Gaara gifted him a book with a red cover but with no title to declare what it was about. When Naruto opened it curiously, he was astonished to be greeted with Gaara's handwriting. A closer inspection of the first text – the first chapter – revealed what exactly Gaara had written down. His best friend had written an entire book full with _fairy tales_.

"You didn't have to," Naruto said, awed, as he brushed his hand over the first page, feeling the slight indentations the letters had imprinted on the paper. "This must have taken so long to finish!"

Gaara shrugged, his hands wrapped around a cup of tea. He and Deidara had taken up the cooking for today, even going as far as shooing Naruto out of the kitchen whenever he had attempted to help them. Dinner would be ready in half an hour – plenty of time for Naruto to open the remainder of the gifts.

"I know how much you loved reading fairy tales when we were younger," he said, crossing his legs. "I figured you could share that love with Yukio."

"I love this, thanks, Gaara," Naruto grinned and leant sideways to catch the red haired man in a hug, mindful of the cup in his hand.

"You're welcome," he murmured, embracing him back with one arm.

There was only one present left on the table and it was a small, square, midnight blue box. It was Sasuke's gift for him and he had to admit that this was the present he had been looking forward to getting the most, if only because he couldn't figure out what the dark haired man had got him. Last Christmas he had bought expensive paint for Naruto – but the size of that box ruled the possibility of paint related stuff out for today.

Unless he had bought like one small paint bottle, but Naruto didn't think he had.

"Here, hold him," Sasuke said, from his spot behind the couch, and handed Yukio over to Itachi, who accepted the baby with ease. Yukio gurgled a bit in protest, his little fists clenching and relaxed, before he settled against Itachi's chest; his snow white onesie standing out starkly against the man's black sweater.

"Time for my present," Sasuke muttered and snatched the box off the table. He sat down next to Naruto on the couch, but didn't hand over the box immediately. Instead he took a deep breath and grabbed Naruto's hand, turning around to face him directly.

That had Naruto studying his face bemused; his confusion only growing when he noticed how nervous Sasuke looked. Overall his face was rather impassive, but his dark eyes were brewing, alight with something Naruto only saw when nerves got to the older man too much – which didn't happen very often.

Why would he be nervous about a gift?

"I'm not good with emotional speeches," Sasuke started and smiled wryly. "That's always been more your forte."

"I'm not that emotional," Naruto huffed, squeezing Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke ignored him. "So I'm not even going to try to make a big speech. I just want you to know that I'm always going to be on your side, no matter what happens." His voice softened towards the end and became more solemn at the same time.

Naruto's stomach did an odd flip and his mouth turned oddly dry. He nodded silently; he had never really doubted that Sasuke would be at his side. Sure, in his insecure moments he had worried Sasuke would leave him eventually, but deep down he had always known that he could count on the dark haired man to be there for him.

Why was he so solemn when he said this, though? Why would he think he needed to give an emotional speech because of a birthday gift?

"So, this is …" Sasuke trailed off, retracting his hand out of Naruto's hold to open the small box.

The lid popped back with a sharp 'clack' sound, revealing …

Naruto's breathing hitched and his mouth dropped open as his brain comprehended what exactly he was staring out. Slowly reaching out with his hand, he said breathlessly, "Sasuke, what does this …"

"It's a promise ring," Sasuke explained; a faint tremor going through his right hand when he plucked the ring from its small dark red pillow. It was silver coloured and when Sasuke turned it just so, blue eyes could pick out the small half moon engraved on the inside.

"A promise that I'll be with you, no matter what," he continued and the ring gleamed in the light when he held it up. "And then later I thought we could exchange these promise rings for a different pair."

The hint at marriage had Naruto's stomach doing flips and turns in a pleasant way even as his cheeks warmed and he let out a jittery chuckle. "Why the moon?"

The older man tilted his head to the left and smiled. "Because you compared me to the moon once before, remember? When we discovered you couldn't hold your liquor." His dark eyes twinkled amused. "I let my ring be engraved with a sun, seeing as you likened yourself to that."

"Oh god," Naruto groaned, slapping his hands in front of his face even as the others laughed and Gaara muttered, "So that's what happened when you got drunk the first time."

"I can't believe you remembered that!" Naruto said, slightly horrified. They had been eighteen at the time and he had pilfered a bottle of sake from Jiraiya. He and Sasuke had drunk it together during a weekend that Sakura had been away for a visit at her grandparents' place.

He couldn't remember much from that evening as he had been a bit enthusiastic with the sake, but he could recall some flashes – including the moment in which he had informed Sasuke that he was just like the moon, beautiful and mysterious and out of reach of every mortal person. He had thought, _hoped_ , that Sasuke hadn't remembered that particular part, because it had hinted way too close at his feelings back then. The older man hadn't mentioned anything about it the next morning, so Naruto had assumed relieved that the other man had been too drunk to remember anything.

Apparently he hadn't been wasted enough.

"Of course I remembered that," Sasuke smirked. "You were quite poetic back then." His smirk faded away when he held out the ring to the blond and the nervous look was back in his eyes as if he wasn't certain how his lover would react. "So, do you want to - "

"Such a stupid question," Naruto grinned, even if it was a tad watery, and held out his hand, wriggling his fingers in anticipation.

If both their hands trembled a bit when Sasuke slid the ring around his finger, well, their family and friends were nice enough not to remark on it.

The light weight around his ring finger felt strange, but good at the same time. The metal quickly warmed up and he couldn't help but stretch his fingers and admire the sight of the silver ring adorning his finger.

The sight of it was so surreal, yet it left him giddy beyond belief. If he felt this excited already about a promise ring, he was probably going to lose his shit once one of them actually proposed.

The fact that a proposal, actual marriage, didn't sound that farfetched anymore had his head spinning wildly.

"Where's your ring?" he asked, tearing his eyes away from his ring, ignoring the amused look of the others.

Dark eyes blinked startled. "Ah, here, in my pocket."

"Give it here, I want to put it around your finger," Naruto said eagerly and Sasuke handed over the ring with a bemused smile.

The ring looked the same as Naruto's, with the only difference being the sun engraved on the inside. His cheeks were hurting with how big his smile was, but he didn't care as he slipped the ring around a slender finger.

"I promise to be on your side no matter what," he stated, even if it was probably unnecessary to state such an obvious thing.

They sealed their promise with a kiss, tasting each other's smile; their hands bearing the rings linked together.

This was definitely the best birthday he had had so far.

* * *

"Is he asleep?"

Naruto turned his head slightly. "Yeah, he fell asleep a couple of minutes ago," he whispered, watching from the corner of his eye how Gaara crept closer.

Sasuke and Itachi had offered to do the dishes after dinner and Naruto had gone upstairs after feeding Yukio to let him sleep in his crib. The crib was in their bedroom so that they would be able to get to their son quickly if he needed them throughout the night.

Gaara stepped around some clothes of Naruto – which he had forgotten to put in the basket, damn it – with ease and came to stand next to the younger man, looking into the crib.

"He looks like Uchiha," he murmured thoughtfully before a faint smirk played around his lips as he continued lightly, "He's got his set of lungs from you, though."

"Shut up," Naruto snickered softly, bumping their shoulders together. Yukio had made it known very loudly that he had been hungry, which of course had set off his cousin too. Deidara must have managed to calm her down, though, because he couldn't hear any more crying downstairs.

"Let's hope he doesn't have your penchant for getting into trouble," Gaara remarked, crossing his arms on the edge of the crib.

"God, I hope not," Naruto shuddered, grimacing. That would really be a disaster if Yukio took after him in that aspect.

The two friends stood there in silence for a while, watching Yukio sleep peacefully. He was clenching his fists occasionally and sometimes he kicked with his little feet. He slept with his face turned towards his daddy; his lips pursed in a small pout.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while," Naruto started softly; his gaze still fixated on his son. "Don't feel obligated to say yes, though." He felt, rather than saw, green eyes looking at him.

"All right," Gaara said slowly. "What's the question?"

"Do you want to be Yukio's godfather?"

It was quiet for such a long time that Naruto felt compelled to look up and check whether Gaara was still in the room and hadn't suddenly disappeared.

He was – looking positively shell shocked. "What?" he uttered blankly; his green eyes wide and his fingers curled around the edge of the crib.

"Do you want to be Yukio's godfather?" Naruto repeated and faltered when his friend just kept staring at him, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You don't have to accept it, you know," he added uncertainly. "Sasuke and I talked about it and we just figured we'd - "

"Why not his brother?" The question was abrupt, curt, and Gaara was frowning slightly.

Not exactly a positive sign. "Maybe we'll ask him if we're going to have another baby," he answered lightly before sighing and running his hands through his hair. "Sasuke and he – they're still mending old wounds. It's not even been a year since they reconnected and it didn't feel right to Sasuke to ask Itachi to become our son's godfather."

"So you decided to ask me," Gaara stated monotone, blinking slowly.

"You're our first choice actually," Naruto said and bit his lip. "Look, if you don't want to, I understand. We'll ask someone - "

"I'll do it," Gaara cut him off. "I'll be his godfather."

"You're sure?" Naruto eyed him, rubbing the back of his neck. "Because you don't have to feel obligated just because you're my best friend. If you don't want to - "

"Are you trying to pull back your offer?" Gaara scowled at him, looking honestly offended that Naruto might rethink asking him to be the godfather.

The corners of his mouth twitched. "Of course not! I'm happy you accepted! My best friend's my baby's godfather!" he crooned and hugged Gaara, careful not to jostle the crib.

"You're an idiot," Gaara muttered but embraced him back.

"Thanks, Gaara. I mean it."

"Yeah, I know." A pause. "Someone has to teach that kid not to be an idiot like you can be after all."

"Hey!"

* * *

Later, when everyone had returned home and he and Sasuke had gone to bed, Sasuke pulled him in his arms, mindful of the way he kept his arm around his lover's waist.

"So, good birthday?" he asked softly in the dark.

Naruto smiled, wrapping his own arm around Sasuke's hips underneath the blanket. "Best birthday ever," he murmured and they shared a soft kiss before falling asleep.

* * *

Life resumed its normal routine. Still on leave, Naruto took care of the household and Yukio during the day with Sasuke taking up shifts during the night and the weekends. He still took up a free day here and there, but Naruto was worried that if he did that too much he might get into trouble with the company, seeing as he hadn't even been working there for a year yet.

Until Sasuke reminded him dryly that his brother was the one giving him days off and that he still got some work done on those days. Which was – fair and Naruto's worry lessened with that reassurance.

Konan kept them updated whenever there was news. Kakashi had accepted the assignment of figuring out just who had forged the signature; as long as that investigation was going on, Sakura's case of demanding custody couldn't be brought before the judge yet. They hadn't won anything yet, but Naruto still considered that a small victory. As long as that particular battle didn't start, she couldn't touch his son at all.

* * *

When Yukio was six weeks old, Naruto visited Tsunade again for his check-up. Sasuke drove him to the appointment and held Yukio in his arms as the doctor examined Naruto carefully, checking his stitches amongst other things.

"Your way of healing will never cease to amaze me, brat," she chuckled, shaking her head fondly as she took a step back, gesturing for him to lower his sweater again.

"That's good, right?" Naruto questioned, just to be certain, as he swung his legs off the examination table.

"That's definitely good," she confirmed, going back to her desk. "Your stitches have healed perfectly and I haven't detected any other issues. Unless you're experiencing discomfort somewhere?" She looked at him questioningly.

He shook his head, sinking down in the chair next to Sasuke. "Nope, feeling fine aside from being sleep deprived," he smiled wryly, but his smile softened when he reached out to caress Yukio's cheek.

"Can't do much about that I'm afraid," she smiled sympathetically, twirling a pen between her fingers. "Except pray that he'll be quick to sleep through the night. So, do you have any questions left with regards to this check-up?"

He actually _had_ one question, but it – sounded weird to voice that one aloud and he could feel his cheeks reddening at just the _thought_ of asking her. He really wanted to know the answer, though, and he didn't particularly trust the internet in this case, because what if he searched the information on the wrong website? Maybe he could ask Deidara? Considering he had been in the same situation as him now. On the other hand, that might be even more embarrassing than just asking Tsunade.

"Just spit it out, brat," Tsunade said dryly. "What do you want to ask?"

A look at the tiny smirk gracing Sasuke's lips told Naruto he shouldn't expect any real help from him and he scowled at the older man before steeling himself with a deep breath. "Eh, yeah, it's just – I've been wondering when, you know, eh, when Sasuke and I can …" he trailed off, making some awkward hand movements between him and Sasuke, hoping that would suffice and that Tsunade wouldn't be so cruel as to actually let him say it aloud.

Light brown eyes glinted and for a couple of seconds it looked like she would indeed be that cruel. Then she seemed to take pity on him and snorted, leaning back into her chair. "In my medical point of view, you're completely cleared, even for those particular activities," she smirked before sobering up. "That said, you still need to be careful about the positions because your abdominal area can still be quite sensitive and putting too much pressure on it isn't a good idea. You also need to make sure you use protection, because there is a chance you might end up pregnant again otherwise and you probably don't want another baby so soon after this one."

"I love Yukio with all my heart, but one baby is definitely enough for me for now," Naruto said solemnly.

"Hear that, Yukio?" Sasuke murmured to their son. "You managed to tire your daddy out. A feat nobody could accomplish before!"

"Mean," Naruto whined and pinched his thigh in retaliation.

"Aside from that, no more questions?" Tsunade asked; her eyes glittering with amusement.

"None, no."

"All right, then shoo, brat. I've still got other patients to see."

* * *

Once he was done drying himself off after his shower that evening, he halted in front of the mirror and studied himself carefully, taking note of how he looked like.

His hair was sticking in every imaginable direction, but that was not exactly a surprise. There were light bags darkening his eyes, courtesy of being woken up several times throughout the night. Blue eyes trailed lower, passing his slightly swollen chest, down to his stomach and he pursed his lips, cocking his head to the right. His stomach wasn't flat yet; gingerly he poked the small layer of fat still lingering around his waist. It wasn't that bad, he conceded, turning a bit to check himself from his left side.

Sure, it was still somewhat noticeable, but then again, he had only given birth six weeks ago, so he thought he could be given some slack.

Would Sasuke be bothered by it? He thought back to the past few weeks. They hadn't been able to do much – and hadn't been allowed yet – bar exchanging some kisses and cuddles. Sasuke hadn't appeared particularly bothered by the bit of extra weight, so …

_Only one way to find out_ , he thought, feeling both apprehensive and excited as he pulled on his light blue dressing gown over his underwear. He wore nothing else.

On his way downstairs, he stopped in their bedroom first, checking on his son. He had been put to bed an hour ago and was still sleeping peacefully. With a little sigh of relief, he continued his trek to the ground floor, making a beeline for the living room.

Sasuke was on the couch, leaving through some papers he had brought with him yesterday and making some notes. He didn't look up when Naruto entered the room, save for letting out a distracted hum as a sign he knew his lover was approaching.

Mischief winning from nerves, Naruto stopped behind Sasuke and leant down, wrapping his arms around strong shoulders. "Got a lot of work left?" he murmured in Sasuke's ear and smiled when he felt the man shiver slightly.

"Hm, not really," Sasuke answered and stilled when fingers started unbuttoning his shirt; the small, white buttons popping out of their buttonholes one by one. "So that's why you asked that question." A smirk coloured his voice as he captured Naruto's hands and looked up; his dark eyes gleaming when he caught sight of Naruto's chest peeking through the gap in his dressing gown.

"Don't tell me you didn't want to know that as well," Naruto scoffed and let out a startled laugh when arms snaked up, wrapped around him and pulled him over the back of the couch. He landed in Sasuke's lap, crinkling the papers underneath his arse before he lifted his hips and pulled them away, holding the crumpled papers up in the air.

"Oops, hope that wasn't anything important," Naruto said and grinned when the papers were snatched out of his hand and thrown impatiently on the table in front of them.

"They're just papers," Sasuke said dismissively; one of his hands already sneaking between Naruto's legs, brushing against the sensitive skin there and eliciting a tiny shudder.

"Important papers?"

"Papers which can be reprinted," Sasuke retorted before he locked their mouths together in a surprisingly fierce kiss, edging into possessive.

Naruto returned the kiss with equal passion, pressing himself closer against Sasuke, sliding his hand into soft, inky black locks and curling his fingers around them. He tightened them when fingers dipped underneath his underwear, following the crease where his leg joined his hip. Then those devious fingers disappeared and curled around the waistband of his underwear and started tugging – an action Naruto approved wholeheartedly of.

He pulled back with a soft gasp, tilting his face to the ceiling as lips descended down his jaw, into his neck and –

"WAAAAHHHH!"

Instantly cerulean blue eyes shot open and they stopped, freezing against each other for a moment as the fog of lust dissolved abruptly.

"You've got to be kidding me," Naruto groaned, falling backwards and thumping his head against the armrest. "He was sleeping when I came down!"

"Guess I'll go see what he wants," Sasuke sighed and slipped from underneath Naruto's legs, standing up with a groan.

"There goes the mood," Naruto mumbled morosely, staring disappointed at his lower body.

Sasuke bent down with a chuckle, kissing him quickly. "We'll catch it again once he's back to sleep," he promised.

Then he winced when the crying reached a higher pitch and he hurried upstairs to tend to their son.

Well, at least Naruto wasn't the one who had to deal with a possible dirty diaper this time. Small mercies.

* * *

A week later, on Friday evening, they received a call from Konan. Sasuke accepted the call and put it on loudspeaker so that Naruto could listen at the same time.

"Good evening, Uchiha-san, Uzumaki-san," she greeted them pleasantly. "I have news regarding your case."

"Oh? What kind of news?" Naruto asked curiously, adjusting Yukio slightly when he started fussing around. He latched back onto Naruto's nipple and started drinking again, his small hand resting against the warm skin.

"We've got enough evidence to bring the case in front of a judge," she declared to their astonishment.

"Wait, already?" Sasuke uttered baffled and he shared a wide eyed look with the blond. To be honest the both of them had already resigned themselves to months of living in uncertainty.

"Yes, Kakashi-san collected all the necessary evidence this week," she said. "We've got the name of the one who forged Uzumaki-san's signature, together with a list of his 'clients' – including Haruno-san. A deposition of someone else left Haruno-san no choice but to confess what she had planned, which was indeed getting full custody of the baby in hope that it would make you, Uchiha-san, leave Uzumaki-san in order to be with your child."

Naruto closed his eyes, experiencing a feeling of disgust so great it made his whole mouth taste vile. Of course that had been her plan. Had she really thought that all she needed to do was get custody of the baby and that Sasuke would willingly go back to her? Had it never occurred to her that doing such a thing would push Sasuke even further away?

No, it hadn't, he realised with a weariness he could feel deep in his bones. Because she had believed that Sasuke loving Naruto had to be just a phase, something influenced by the prospect of becoming a father. That Sasuke really loved Naruto was an impossible concept for her – because that meant she no longer stood a chance.

"Who was the witness who provided the deposition?" Sasuke questioned, frowning slightly. "If they knew about the plan, why not try to stop her?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "When Kakashi-san discovered the link between the forger and Haruno-san, this person agreed to testify on paper against her if they were kept anonymous. They don't want their reputation to be smeared if anyone got wind of this particular scandal."

"Is it someone we know?" Sasuke asked with slight trepidation.

Another short bout of silence before she released a soft sigh. "Look, normally I'm not allowed to give the name of someone who requested to stay anonymous, but in this case it might be better for you if I do tell you."

"That doesn't sound ominous at all," Naruto mumbled warily.

"You were right on the mark concerning your father, Uchiha-san," she continued, ignoring Naruto's interruption. "He got Haruno-san into contact with the forger and knew about her plan from the start."

Sasuke rubbed a hand over his forehead, looking more frustrated than shocked. "What the hell could he have to gain from that? He didn't even like that we used surrogacy to begin with!" he spat.

"A grandchild," Naruto realised unsettled. "He must have believed as well that you would have gone back to Sakura if she got Yukio and then you'd be back underneath his thumb."

"He was the one who kicked me out," Sasuke sneered.

"Yeah, but he must have thought that it was just a phase and you'd come to your senses eventually," the blond man murmured. Fugaku had probably expected Sasuke to come crawling back once he was fired from the company and no longer allowed to be in contact with the rest of the family.

He had never expected Sasuke to make it on his own.

"Whatever the reason might be, we've got enough to present our case now," Konan remarked. "If you want, we can settle this whole ordeal as soon as possible."

"Let's," Sasuke decided after looking at Naruto for confirmation. "The sooner we get this settled with, the better," he said grimly.

"All right, I'll call you when I know when we'll be expected in court," she said primly and after sharing goodbyes, she hung up.

"I'm sorry your father is such an arsehole," Naruto said frankly after a moment of silence.

Sasuke sighed, leaning back into the kitchen chair. "Yeah well, when has he not been an arsehole?" he asked rhetorically and shook his head. "I just thought he would never stoop this low."

Naruto gnawed down on his lip when a thought shot through his mind. "Do you think Mikoto knows about this?"

Sasuke stared at him before closing his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to give her a call," he muttered, looking a tad apprehensive.

Naruto couldn't blame him. He himself wasn't sure whether he really wanted to know how Mikoto would react to her own husband helping Sakura.

One thing was for certain: it wouldn't be pretty.

* * *

Mikoto _did_ know about it. She wasn't happy to say the least. She didn't tell Sasuke much about the matter, apparently sounding rather clipped, sharp like she had never talked before, but there would be consequences for Fugaku, she promised her son.

Naruto would feel sorry for him if he didn't dislike the man so much.

* * *

After Konan's call, everything happened rather fast. Only a couple of weeks later, on a Tuesday in the middle of December, their presence was expected in court. Naruto had been thrown off guard when Konan told them the date of when their case would be brought before the judge; he had thought it would take at least a couple of months before a judge would be ready to see them. It made him wonder whether she had pulled some strings, but as a lawyer she couldn't have done that, right?

Regardless on Tuesday morning he entered the courtroom, his hand linked with Sasuke's, as they made their way to one of the benches. Gaara was looking after Yukio until they were done here; he had offered to babysit him as soon as he was told about the court date. Naruto hadn't protested; a courtroom wasn't exactly a great place to bring a baby.

As they sat down, blue eyes roamed across the room. The judge – a greying man with a full beard – was talking softly to a man dressed smartly in a dark blue suit. The right side of the room appeared to have been reserved for the defendants with several lawyers discussing something with their clients.

In the front a man sat with his white hair pulled back in a low ponytail. His glasses glinted in the light whenever he moved his head slightly and he was frowning at whatever his lawyer was telling him. His name was Yakushi Kabuto; he was the one who had made a business out of forging papers and signatures. Apparently he had been a protegee of a man named Orochimaru who had had some business dealings with the Uchiha corporation before. It had been unclear whether Orochimaru himself had been involved in the matter; if he had, there was no evidence to tie him to the forging business of his former employee and he had escaped the dance unscathed.

Behind him several of his 'clients' were seated – people who had paid him to forge papers or signatures. From what Naruto had understood, they were considered equally guilty as Yakushi and would be given a punishment in accordance with the severity of their crime.

Most of this clients – there were around ten – were staring at the floor with blank faces, but there was one person who didn't – and who was staring right back at Naruto with fury burning in her green eyes.

_Sakura._

Naruto swallowed and looked away; tightening his grip around Sasuke's hand. He hadn't really known what to expect when he would see her again, how he would feel, looking at someone he once thought he could trust with his life.

He had expected to feel fury, regret perhaps, sadness even. Instead, he just felt empty. Perhaps a bit resigned even. Mostly empty, though.

She had made her bed – now she had to lie in it. After today he would never see her again.

"You okay?" Sasuke murmured, bending towards him.

Naruto offered him a faint smile. "Yeah, just – I'm going to be glad once we're back home with Yukio," he said softly.

_Once everything would finally be settled here._

Sasuke nodded in understanding and pressed a fleeting kiss against his cheek, before settling back in the bench.

Naruto turned towards the judge, who declared the court session to be open.

Wondering just how exactly this would end.

* * *

Naruto didn't understand much of what was being said. The lawyers spoke in a convoluted language, using jargon Naruto could never hope to comprehend in just a few hours. Yakushi's lawyer – a man with a sallow pallor and a weird-looking, thin moustache – simpered that his client couldn't be really faulted as he had been coerced into forging by his higher-ups.

Konan, in comparison, looked like she owned the place, clad in a black woman's suit with a white shirt and black high heels, radiating an aura which stated ' _Don't fuck with me'_. She talked about the emotional pain her clients had suffered at the thought of losing their child to a woman with no claim to the baby. How Sakura had gone as far as forging the signature of someone she had once claimed was her best friend, just to take his baby away from him, in the misguided belief that her ex-husband would return to her arms. That she shouldn't be left off lightly, because she had been planning to take away a child from his parents in an attempt to get revenge.

More lawyers followed, more explanations as to why this client and that client had let their papers be forged. More excuses, more heated debates between the lawyers.

Naruto let it all wash over him. He was tense throughout the entire session; the words buzzing in his ear before leaving through the other, not much being retained of what was said. He just wanted to know whether Sakura would receive a sentence and if so, what kind.

He just wanted to be back at home, with his son and Sasuke, finally putting all this shit behind them so that they could focus on _them_ again.

He just wanted to be alone with his family.

* * *

The session finally ended right before lunch with the judge doling out the sentences. Yakushi received four years in prison; the evidence being too overwhelming to claim innocence. Some of the other people received one to two years, because their fake papers had caused a lot of trouble.

Sakura received six months.

Naruto couldn't really decide whether that was long enough, but in the end, she had received a sentence and no judge would believe she had a claim on Yukio.

_That_ was the most important part.

He felt light, relieved, when he and Sasuke left the courtroom; a smile dancing across his lips. It was finally over. He could go to Gaara, pick up Yukio and start making preparations for Christmas.

Their life together could finally start without the threat of Sakura looming over them.

Itachi was waiting for them outside the courtroom. "How did it go?" he asked, but he looked relaxed, as if he already knew how it had gone.

The smiles on his brother's and Naruto's faces might have given away the outcome already.

"I'm going to call Gaara with the news," Naruto told Sasuke.

The dark haired man nodded and they shared a brief kiss before Naruto left him standing with his brother, making his way deeper into the corridor to make the call in peace.

"And, how did it go?" Gaara asked immediately. The phone had barely had the chance to ring it seemed.

A laugh bubbled up and Naruto rubbed his neck. "It went well – that's probably not the right word to describe it," he corrected himself wryly. "But she received six months and now no judge will believe she's got a claim on Yukio."

"Of course they wouldn't believe that," Gaara snorted. "Her contract was a shitty piece of evidence – no judge would believe her over you."

"Yeah well, it's still a relief," Naruto said, catching Sasuke's eyes and quirking a smile before he turned around again. "I'm just glad it's over and done with. How's my baby boy? Is he behaving?"

"He's sleeping," Gaara told him. "He was a bit fussy, though, so I think he's missing his daddy."

"Well, tell him daddy and papa will be there soon," Naruto grinned.

It happened without warning.

One moment he was grinning and talking to Gaara, the next moment, a furious shriek rebounded through the corridor.

"I FUCKING HATE YOU! YOU FUCKING WHORE!"

When Naruto turned around in shock, his eyes widened when he saw Sakura storming towards him; her face alight with burning hate.

"Naruto, what's happening - "

Before Naruto could step back, Sakura was there right in front of him and then -

"NARUTO!" Sasuke yelled and for the first time in his life panic coloured his voice.

Panic? Why would Sasuke be panicking? Why was everybody suddenly screaming around him? Sakura was wrestled away by two policemen, still screaming and shrieking, kicking out with her legs and Naruto …

He – he felt odd actually. Like something … His head was starting to grow somewhat fuzzy and why was his sight darkening? Had she hit him on the head?

There was something warm spreading out on his chest and he wondered dazed whether he had somehow started leaking milk. Numbly he looked down, expecting to see his shirt growing damp.

_Oh._

That was – he was – oh, so he wasn't leaking, but …

His shirt was steadily growing redder and the source of that was …

A knife.

She had stabbed him with a knife. In his chest.

Huh, so that was why everything …

Arms slipped around him and he looked up numbly, his legs buckling underneath him.

Wide, horrified, dark eyes were the last thing he saw before darkness consumed him.

* * *

In the end their life together wouldn't start after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Did I really end it at this place? Yes, I did. Am I evil? Yes, I am. Do I regret doing this? *cackles* I did warn you I reserved the worst shit for last ;) 
> 
> Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> The next chapter - the epilogue in fact - will normally be posted on the 29th of June.
> 
> Until then *bows*
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


	34. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: When my friend requested a year ago that I would write this fic, I thought it wouldn't be longer than fifteen, twenty chapters tops. Because surely the story couldn't turn out that much longer. I've grown wiser since then and realised that I should never expect to hit the first number I have in mind LMAO So instead of twenty chapters, this turned out to have thirty-four in the end.
> 
> I want to thank you all for coming on this journey with me. I had a lot of fun writing this story - even when it made me curse at times - and I'm so happy to see how many people have enjoyed reading this story thus far! Thank you all for your continuous support, it really meant a lot to me!
> 
> And Meehalla, thanks for letting me rant at times about this story and for supporting me whenever I felt insecure about this story :) 
> 
> Thank you so much for the reviews and the kudos! I never expected to get that many and I certainly never expected this story to reach 1000 kudos, so from the bottom of my heart: thank you all so much for your support!
> 
> Warnings: Mentioned permanent disability; some angst; minor flashbacks to the attack; character death; set a couple of years in the future; Sasuke's pov
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto owns it.
> 
> For the last time, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

_Chapter 34: Epilogue_

Rain was gently falling down outside; the droplets created a steady 'plick, plick, plick' sound as they splattered across the windows, slipping down in thin rivulets.

The window in his study stood ajar and the fresh scent of rain drifted inside, accompanied by a soft hissing sound whenever a car drove past the house. The clouds were a dark grey and didn't look ready to disappear any time soon.

Given that it was autumn, having an evening full of rain wasn't that surprising. Hopefully the rain wouldn't turn into a storm; he knew one person who wouldn't be able to sleep through the night then.

"So we're going to move the meeting to this Friday then," Itachi concluded on the other end of the line. "That way we'll all be able to attend."

"Sounds good to me," Sasuke murmured, twirling a pencil between his fingers. His desk chair creaked softly when he leant back a bit and he crossed his legs.

The meeting being postponed would give him more time to prepare himself so that he could deal with Hidan's antics. Even after working there for five years, the older man loved to taunt him and generally disrupt any meeting Sasuke was attending. He was a pain in the arse, but Sasuke had become adept at handling him – and if the man went out of line, Sasuke could still count on either his brother, Nagato or Kakuzu stepping in.

Hidan might like taunting Sasuke, but even he didn't dare to go against Itachi, Nagato or Kakuzu – especially the latter could be quite vicious and unforgiving in the way he handled Hidan.

"Now that we've got the boring business part out of the way," Itachi said lightly, "you mind telling me what's on your mind?"

Sasuke blinked, becoming more alert. "What? Nothing's on my mind," he denied instantly, dropping the pencil on his desk.

"That might work with someone else, but I know you and I can tell there's something bothering you," Itachi retorted; his voice carrying a sharp edge. "You've been distracted since the beginning of our call and Kisame told me you left work earlier than usual."

"You have Kisame acting as your spy?" the younger man asked unimpressed.

"Of course not," his brother replied irritated. "But you cancelled a meeting with a client you share with him and he knows you would never do that without a good reason, so spill."

"Are you mad at me because I didn't attend the meeting?" Sasuke asked, resigned to the upcoming scolding. He should have realised that cancelling that meeting – one he was supposed to have attended with Kisame – wouldn't go unnoticed.

Itachi sighed. "Kisame could handle that meeting on his own, so there's no issue with that," he said dismissively. "I'm not angry at you, Otouto, I just want to know what's bothering you."

"You ever thought I might not want to share that?" Sasuke sniped annoyed.

"You ever thought I'd let you get away with brooding?" the older man shot back. His voice softened when he continued after a pause, "Did something happen?"

Silence fell between the two of them while Sasuke ordered his thoughts. He might as well tell his older brother; there was no point keeping it a secret as he'd most likely find out on his own anyway.

"Konan called me this afternoon," he started slowly, recalling their short conversation which had occurred a few hours after lunch. She had called him an hour before he would have left for the meeting actually. He had been going through his notes for the meeting when her name had flashed across his phone's screen.

"Ah. What did she have to tell you?"

"You know she's handling all the letters Sakura sends me?" Uttering her name – even after five years – still left him with a very foul and bitter taste in his mouth and the familiar anger and hatred – hatred he had never expected to feel for his ex-wife – flared up once more, burning ugly in his stomach.

Her attack on Naruto, coupled with the obvious premeditated intent behind it as she had hidden the knife within her boot, had resulted in her spending twenty years behind bars. Near the end of her sentence she would get psychologically evaluated again to determine just how much of a risk factor she still was.

If the sentencing had been left to Sasuke, he would have her rotting in prison for the rest of her life for what she had done. In his opinion she didn't deserve any shred of mercy.

Not after what she had done.

She actually had had the balls to send him letters once she had been locked up. He hadn't read any she had sent him; they had either got ripped to shreds or set on fire. How she could even think she still had the right to contact him infuriated him. After a couple of months of continuously destroying her letters, he had got fed up with it and had called Konan, asking whether there wasn't a way to stop the letters from being delivered to him.

She had suggested that she would have the letters sent to her, so that she could check the content before destroying them, just in case.

Just in case Sakura was planning to do something against Sasuke's son. Being confined into prison severely limited what she could do, but she also shouldn't have been able to hide a knife on her person in a courtroom, so Konan had decided it was better to be safe than sorry.

Sasuke had agreed with her suggestion; the horror of that day etched into his mind forever. He wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to his son too.

After his call with Konan, all of Sakura's letters and any other correspondence concerning her were sent to the lawyer instead. The less Sasuke had to do with Sakura or even the memory of her, the better.

"Yes, I know," Itachi murmured darkly. "What made her call you?"

"Apparently Sakura got into a fight with a group of three women a month ago," Sasuke said blankly. The rain was slowing down, he noticed absentmindedly when he chanced a look outside. "I don't know what the fight was about; I didn't ask."

"Are we talking about a physical fight or an argument?" Itachi asked cautiously.

Sasuke blinked. "A physical one. They pushed her over the railing from the third floor. She landed badly." He paused, still reeling a bit from what Konan had told him. "She's paralysed from the waist down; they don't think she'll ever be able to walk again."

He hadn't wanted to believe Konan at first when she had given him the news. He could believe that Sakura had got into a fight with other women – she had never been one to stay passive – but that she had actually got hurt so badly that it left her paralysed? That was harder to imagine.

Yet he couldn't say he felt sorry for her. The time for that had long since passed. He might not really rejoice in her suffering, but he also couldn't find it in him to pity her. She had made her bed when she had decided to attack Naruto – now she had to lie in it and suffer the consequences.

If she thought the news of her injuries would soften him up, she was sorely mistaken. Still, the news of her accident had taken him so off guard that it had become somewhat difficult for him to concentrate on his work. It was why he had left the office earlier than usual, figuring it'd be pointless to remain there while he got almost nothing done.

"Seems like karma is getting to them one by one, huh?" Itachi mused aloud after a short bout of silence had passed between the two brothers.

"Seems like it," Sasuke agreed quietly; his gaze drifting towards the dark sky.

The one who had forged Naruto's signature back then, Yakushi Kabuto, had been found dead in his cell two years ago. Officially his death had been ruled as a suicide, but Konan had quietly informed them rumours were going around in the prison that he had been killed before he could be released. Yakushi's former employer, Orochimaru, was said to be behind the murder, but nothing could officially be linked to him.

Sasuke didn't particularly care one way or another, but with Sakura's accident, it did look like some form of karma was doing its rounds.

Itachi didn't ask what he thought about Sakura's injuries; he knew his brother's feelings regarding the pink haired woman and none of them were positive. Instead he asked, in a lighter tone of voice, "Anything planned for this weekend?" It was casually posed, as if they hadn't just been discussing someone they knew being disabled, but it was what Sasuke needed to shake those dark thoughts away. Neither of them wanted to discuss Sakura any longer than necessary.

The younger man released a soft sigh, running his free hand through his hair. "Yeah, we're going to the graveyard. Yukio made some pictures he wants to show off," he replied before changing the subject, "Have you heard of mother this week?"

A low chuckle travelled through the line. "Yes, yesterday as a matter of fact. She was thinking of going abroad for a week, but she would call the both of us before she makes a decision, just in case we need her babysitting skills," he answered amused.

Sasuke snorted, amusement chasing away the last tendrils of his dark thoughts. Of course mother would be worried that her two sons might be in need of a babysitter during her holiday. That didn't surprise him in the least. She definitely loved doting on her grandchildren and grabbed every chance to babysit them.

"And Fugaku?"

Itachi sighed loudly. "Nothing really new there," he replied. "Apparently he signed over the corporation to the Hyuuga completely last month."

Sasuke let his breath escape slowly, mulling over this particular piece of information. After they had discovered Fugaku had been the one to help Sakura get into contact with a forger, neither Sasuke nor Itachi had been interested in ever talking to their father again. Mother hadn't been happy about her husband's involvement either to say the least, but she hadn't said anything about it until several months later when she had informed her sons that she would be divorcing Fugaku.

The divorce had been kept on the downlow; Sasuke doubted many people outside of the ones closest to the former couple knew about it. For Mikoto, Fugaku willingly offering his assistance to Sakura in order to take Yukio away from Naruto had been the straw that broke the camel's back. She had remained quiet for years, even after he had kicked out their eldest son, carrying the sliver of hope in her that everything would turn out okay in the end, but ultimately he had gone too far.

Whether it was a consequence of the divorce or not, Fugaku had during that time period also taken a step back from his company, leaving the director's post mostly in hands of the board. Sasuke knew that the Hyuuga family had been interested in the corporation for years, but Fugaku had held them off all that time, refusing the take-over.

Until now apparently. Fugaku had officially retired and Uchiha Corporation was now in the hands of the Hyuuga.

Idly Sasuke thought their ancestors would be rolling around in their graves if they knew their precious company was in the hands of their sworn rival, but he couldn't say he cared much for it. He had said that company farewell the day Fugaku had kicked him out.

He and Itachi chatted idly for a little while longer, discussing Yukio's and Aihime's upcoming school trip, before Deidara acquired his husband's assistance with a particular art piece of his and they said their goodbyes.

Lowering his phone, he checked the screen and noted that he would have to charge it overnight, lest he wanted his phone to give out on him tomorrow at work. Opening the top drawer of his desk, he retrieved his charger and stood up, bending down to reach the socket next to the desk. Plugging one end of the charger into the socket and the other one into his phone, the screen lightening up as it started charging, he straightened out again and put his mobile on the desk. He'd come back for it in the morning.

There was a faint knock on the door before it was pushed open and when he turned around, he was greeted with the sight of his son, staring up at him with his deep blue eyes. The five year old boy was dressed in his light blue pyjamas; they were his favourite and evidently he had dressed himself as some buttons of his pyjama top were askew. His feet were bare and he curled his toes; his small hand resting against the door. His black hair was as wild as ever, looking like it had never seen a brush before.

"Story time, papa," Yukio declared, padding closer.

Sasuke chanced a glance at the clock and noticed that it was already edging past eight o'clock. "So it is," he agreed and raised an eyebrow. "Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yes! Look, see!" Instantly Yukio bared his teeth, even standing on his tippy toes so that his papa could get a better look at them.

Sasuke nodded approvingly. "Very good," he said and his son beamed, lowering himself again. "Did you wash your hands too?"

"Yes, I also wash my face!" the boy stated proudly and held out his hands, showing them off by flipping them back and forth, proving that he had washed them.

There were still faint traces on the back of his left hand of the orange felt-tip pen he had used to colour the drawing he had made with his cousin earlier this afternoon, but Sasuke knew from experience that stains like that took a little while to be completely washed away.

"Well, it looks like someone definitely earned two stories tonight," he announced and smiled when Yukio cheered loudly, clapping his hands while jumping up and down. "Which story do you want first?"

"The dragon and the prince!" Yukio instantly declared, grinning.

"The one your Uncle Gaara wrote where the prince rescues the dragon?"

"Yeah, that one!"

"All right, go grab your book and get into bed, I'll be there in a sec," Sasuke promised and after a quick hug around his legs, Yukio ran out of the room, down the corridor to his room.

The book Gaara had gifted Naruto five years ago had proven to be an instant hit with their son. He loved listening to all kinds of stories, being partial to fairy tales, but he absolutely adored the stories his uncle had written. Especially the story about a prince who was sent to slay a dragon, but ended up rescuing him when he found out that the dragon was just misunderstood and very lonely, was one Yukio could listen to again and again without ever growing bored of it.

Not for the first time it made Sasuke wonder whether the story was an allegory, but he figured there was no point in asking. His son loved that story and that was all that mattered. If he wanted to have it read to him every night, then so be it. It wasn't as if reading to his son and seeing the wonder in his eyes – his eyes which were a perfect mixture of his and Naruto's – was just a hardship after all.

After closing the window, he shut the door behind him and made his way to Yukio's bedroom. The door of his room was ajar, spilling soft white light onto the floor and the opposite wall. When he entered, he noticed that the curtain were half drawn and his son was sitting up in bed, Gaara's book lying on his lap, already open at the right chapter.

"Story, papa," Yukio reminded him as if ages had gone by since he had appeared in Sasuke's study.

Smirking amused, Sasuke first walked to the window to fix the curtains. "Yes, yes, you impatient brat," he said, pulling the curtains properly shut. "I just needed to close your curtains a little more."

As soon as he sank down on the bed, dipping the mattress, Yukio pushed the book onto his lap and snuggled deeper underneath his blanket. Curling his hands around the edges of the sheet, he looked at the older man with big, dark blue eyes. "I'm ready for the story, papa," he said eagerly, wiggling underneath the light green blanket. His plushie, the orange fox with nine tails which Naruto had bought so long ago, was resting next to him on his pillow and after a moment, a hand reached up to curl fingers around one of the bushy tails.

Sasuke stared at the sight of his son holding the fox for a moment before he shook his head slightly and cleared his throat, tilting the book slightly towards him so that he could read the pages better. "All right, here we go. Once upon a time, there was a prince who lived in a far away country. This prince was very much loved by his people and …"

* * *

The book was gently closed and silently returned to its rightful shelf. The lamp on the nightstand was turned off in exchange for a small nightlight near the door, so that it wouldn't be too dark in the room.

Yukio was fast asleep; the heavy blanket barely stirring with his gentle breathing. Adjusting the blanket, Sasuke bent down and brushed a kiss on his son's forehead, caressing his hair back lightly. Yukio scrunched up his nose slightly, but remained fast asleep, tuckered out after a day of playing with his cousin and listening with rapt attention how the brave prince rescued the dragon from an evil witch.

Reading aloud for so long left his throat quite parched, though, and he decided to drink a glass of water. The clock of the microwave read a quarter to ten and he blinked surprised, not having realised how long he had been reading. After drinking some water, he put the glass in the sink and turned off the light in the kitchen; the humming of the fridge dying out as he checked the living room, flicking on the light there.

Yukio's toys were no longer strewn across the floor, but put back in his toy box. After lowering the lid of the toy box, he closed the blinds and absently placed the quilt back on the couch. The newspaper of today was still on the coffee table and he resolved to throw it out in the morning. The television was shut off and he stood in front of it for a moment, contemplating whether he should watch something or not.

In the end, he decided to leave it off; the exhaustion lingering in his body, making his limbs heavy, difficult to ignore for much longer. There was no point in falling asleep on the couch; his body surely wouldn't thank him for that. He'd call it an early night.

Turning off the light, he left the living room and went to check the front door. There had been a time when he hadn't been too much bothered by the door being left unlocked through the night. This was a fairly quiet neighbourhood and burglaries were unheard of, so if one evening the door hadn't been locked, it hadn't been a big deal.

Now he couldn't rest easily without the door locked. Despite knowing rationally that there was no way Sakura would be able to escape prison, he had lived the past five years with the fear that one day she'd be back to try to take away the rest of his family. It led to him checking every window and door every night just to reassure himself that nobody would be able to enter.

With her being disabled, there was no way she would ever be able to harm his family again, but he still checked the front door just in case. It was a habit he would have a hard time shaking off.

After reassuring himself the door was locked, he turned off the light here and carefully made his way upstairs again, turning on the light there.

Walking to his bedroom, he passed some framed pictures on his way and he halted abruptly when a flash of blond attracted his attention. He turned his head and stared at the picture. It had been taken five years ago, by Deidara if he remembered correctly, and it featured just him and Naruto during Naruto's birthday. They had just started eating cake and hit by a sudden bout of mischief, Sasuke had smeared some of the whipped cream on Naruto's nose. The picture had been taken right when Naruto had reared back with a laugh, his eyes scrunched shut, while Sasuke had had a small smile on his face. It wasn't visible in the picture, but they had had their fingers laced together; their rings resting against each other.

Pure happiness radiated from the picture; despite what had happened before, they had been very happy that day.

Two months later Sakura would snap and attack Naruto.

His nails dug into the vulnerable flesh of his palms as he remembered the utter terror he had experienced that day. Those first few seconds in which he had been frozen, not really comprehending what exactly had happened until Sakura had been dragged away and he had seen the hilt of a knife protruding from Naruto's chest.

The way his heart had stopped when he met blank, blue eyes, saw blood slowly spreading out across Naruto's shirt. The screaming of the other people had been muted as if he had been underwater. Naruto's name had been torn out of his throat as blinding panic had settled in, as his brain had finally comprehended what had happened. He had caught Naruto right before he had sagged down, had pleaded with him to stay awake, not to close his eyes, just focus on him, _please, Naruto, you can't close your eyes, you can't go to sleep, I need you to stay awake, need you to keep looking at me …_

His hands had been slick with red when the ambulance had finally arrived. Naruto had been completely unresponsive by the time they had raced outside with him on the gurney.

He would never forget that feeling of terror he had experienced that day; it would be forever etched into his mind, no matter how many years would pass by. The hours spent in the hospital, waiting for news which never seemed to come, of praying to whatever deity that was up there to just let Naruto survive, to not let him die, not this soon, not like this, not when their lives were finally about to start …

Wondering just what the fuck he was supposed to tell his son if his daddy didn't survive, how the hell they would both survive without Naruto there, the man who had always been his rock, his light, the one who had made him start really living his life.

He wouldn't wish that kind of fear, that paralysing terror, on anyone. Nobody should experience that horror, that strangling sensation, the way his heart had felt on the verge of being ripped out. The way his heart had hung in the balance, just like Naruto's life …

Averting his gaze from the picture, he took a measured breath and continued his way down the corridor, taking a brief stop in the bathroom to brush his teeth. The wind was picking up outside and he cocked his head, wondering whether there was a storm brewing after all. Well, he'd notice if he felt Yukio crawling in the bed.

There was moonlight spilling liberally in the bedroom when he opened the door. The curtains hadn't been drawn yet and before he closed them he turned on the lamp on his nightstand, so that he wouldn't be in complete darkness when he changed into his pyjamas.

That done, he climbed in his bed with a sigh, rubbing over his eyes. He was surprisingly exhausted; the call with Konan having seemingly sapped him from his energy. At the same time, it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Sakura wouldn't be able to harm them again and that thought eased something in him.

* * *

He must have dozed off, because he woke with a start when he felt a weight settling next to him in bed. An arm was slung around his waist; a hand coming to rest on his chest. When he looked down, he was greeted by the soft gleam of the golden ring adorning the ring finger.

His wedding band, signifying a marriage of four years so far.

Turning his head, he met deep blue eyes. The other man smiled and reached up with his hand to tuck his hair back, cupping his cheek casually. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he murmured.

Dark eyes blinked. "It's okay; I wasn't really asleep. Not yet at least," Sasuke sighed, pushing his cheek into the warm hand cupping it.

"I went to check on Yukio. He didn't even stir," he chuckled lowly. "I think the play date with Aihime-chan tired him out."

"Hm, he drew more pictures that he wants to show off this weekend."

"Mum and dad will love them, I'm sure."

Sasuke smiled absently, studying his grinning face. Naruto quirked an eyebrow, looking amused, as he shifted closer to the dark haired man. In doing so, his shirt slipped down, revealing the beginning of a thin scar.

They had been nearly too late. It had been Naruto's sheer stubbornness and his ability to fight against the odds that had let him survive Sakura's attack. The doctors had been ready to give up on him, because the knife had struck a very bad place, but Naruto hadn't been ready to go yet and had fought back. Against the doctors' expectations, he had survived the operation and had kept steadily improving.

Now the only thing left to remind them of that awful day was the thin, white scar marring his chest. At the same time it was proof of Naruto's strength, evidence that he was unwilling to give up no matter what happened.

"I'm glad I asked Ero-sennin where their graves were," Naruto continued with a wistful smile. "Even though he'll never get to meet them, it feels right to bring Yukio with us when we visit their graves."

A year after he had been attacked, Naruto had decided to visit his parents' graves for the first time. Sasuke didn't know why he had never visited them before and he hadn't asked. That first time Naruto had gone alone, saying he needed to be on his own for that visit and Sasuke had respected that. He had joined the blond on his second visit at Naruto's request and since then he always accompanied his husband whenever he went to visit his parents. This weekend would be the first time Yukio would join them and the little boy had been busy with drawing pictures for his grandparents all week.

"Hm," Sasuke hummed in agreement, before narrowing his eyes slightly. "What are you hiding?" he asked, becoming suspicious with the way blue eyes were shimmering.

"I'm not hiding anything," Naruto protested laughing.

"Yeah, and Deidara doesn't like blowing shit up," Sasuke retorted unimpressed. "Fess up. Did you do something?"

"Well, I suppose you could say I did something," Naruto mused aloud and sat up, twisting around to his nightstand. "As a matter of fact, I've got something for you."

The dark haired man sat up as well, curiosity piquing. "What did you get me?"

"Just a sec," Naruto said, rummaging through one of the drawers. He was grinning widely when he turned around again; something clenched in his fist. "You ready?"

"I have no idea what for, but sure, I'm ready," Sasuke snorted.

His breathing hitched and he stilled when Naruto opened his hand, revealing four familiar – even when it had been years ago since he had last seen one - white sticks. A closer look showed a clear plus sign displayed on the small screen.

"Four tests?" he murmured; his eyes fixated on the thin sticks.

Naruto shrugged bashfully. "Just in case," he replied lightly. "I took them this afternoon, was waiting for the right moment to show them."

"You're pregnant," Sasuke breathed out, wonder colouring his voice as his eyes drifted from the positive pregnancy tests to Naruto's stomach covered by his shirt. For now his stomach was still flat, but soon, in just a couple of months, it would become rounded once more as his belly swelled with their baby.

Their second child.

_They would become parents for the second time._

"We're having another baby," he said amazed, his hand reaching out to palm Naruto's stomach. Right underneath his hand their baby was _growing_.

"Yeah, we are," Naruto murmured, his voice thick; his hand coming down to rest on top of Sasuke's.

When Sasuke looked up, he saw blue eyes shimmering with a wet sheen and a tender smile playing around pale pink lips. He leant over to press their lips together, pouring all the love he felt for this amazing man into their kiss.

Sakura had tried to take him away from him, but she hadn't succeeded. She had lost and they had won. She had tried to destroy his family, but they had come out on top and now their family would grow bigger; a little brother or sister for Yukio would soon be joining them.

"I love you," he whispered when they drew apart slightly.

Naruto smiled and Sasuke felt like he would drown in the love he saw reflected in those deep blue eyes. "I love you too," he murmured and their mouths met again in a soft kiss.

They had endured some hardships along the way, but in the end they had been worth it. They were worth having Naruto with him, in his arms, and having Yukio sleeping peacefully down the hallway. They were worth the little being safely growing inside his husband's stomach.

He had his family and in the end that was all that mattered. Tomorrow was the first day of the rest of their lives.

Together, as a family.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN2: Did this make up for the suffering I put you through with the previous chapter? LOL I hope you enjoyed this epilogue!
> 
> For the last time, please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
> 
> I hope to see you all back in my future stories :)
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa

**Author's Note:**

> AN2: How men are able to become pregnant in this universe will be explained in the next chapter. Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot a mistake, please point them out to me!
> 
> The next chapter will be posted on the seventh of April.
> 
> I hope to see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> Cuddles
> 
> Melissa


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